I would agree with Gary about the PI, although I base this mainly on the
land snail diversity.  There are about 1300 described land snail species
there.  I've stomped around the islands on several occasions and always
come back with 10-30% of the fauna is undescribed.  I'd estimate a total
fauna of over 2000 species because many islands and vast areas of larger
islands have not even been explored yet.
 
Extinctions have yet to be documented.  However, the assumption is probably
accurate.  In work on Panay in the central Visayan group I located every
species previously recorded from there with a few undescribed species.
This island due to it's relatively flat geography has been royally screwed
over ecologically for a couple of centuries.  It is remarkable that these
species are hanging on, but they are in small remnant patches of forest.
Of course, it's just a matter of time when these plots of forest will be
destroyed.  I think it's estimated that 80% of the human population is not
of reproductive age yet.  Not a pleasant thought if you are a concerned
citizen of the planet or a snail, snake or a Philippine Eagle.  This is why
I don't have a problem collecting drums of snails while I'm out in the
field (properly permitted of course).  The handwriting is on the wall and
it's very clear.
 
Other extremely diverse areas at least in land snails are the Greater
Antilles (particularly for the size of the land mass), Assam in eastern
India, and portions of southern China and northern Viet Nam.  These are all
geologically ancient areas, rich in habitats, particularly in numerous
isolated limestone hill areas, acting as islands.  This is what it takes
for land snail diversification.
 
Hugs,
 
Kurt
 
At 05:16 PM 9/9/98 -0400, you wrote:
>>So the question goes now to Gary or Kurt: What area has, or ever had, the
>greatest diversity of mollusks?
>
>I'd guess the Philippines. Lots of islands, extremely high marine diversity
>and high endemism among land snails. I've heard estimates of 10,000 living
>species, although the land snails are going extinct fast.
>
>Gary
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