You defined conchology very plainly.  Now, for me and any others who are new
to the scientific side of shell collecting, would you define malacology?
 
Sylvia Edwards
Huntsville, Al
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-----Original Message-----
From: Wesley M. Thorsson <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 1999 3:23 PM
Subject: [CONCH-L] Taxonomy regarding Genus level
 
 
>By an order of magnitude, the users of taxonomy in identifying and
>labeling molluscs are conchologists, but they have little input into the
>work of taxonomy generators.
>
>For this reason, when Scientists are reviewing a Family and moving
>species to new locations based on other than conchological
>characteristics, the selected Genera should be identifiable by
>conchological characteristics to as high a degree as possible.  Where
>species groups are separated into genera by radulae or biological
>characters, the conchologist is not able to determine the genus, and
>bases the genus ID only on morphological characteristics of the species.
>
>I think conchologists should make their concerns known, and recommend
>that subgenera be used to separate groups of species when the group is
>determined only by radula/biological characteristics.
>
>A case in mind is Cypraea.  The Schilders divided this genus into a
>number of new genera based on the radula.  Species within the new genera
>do not always form a logical grouping based on conchological characters
>used by the great majority of people involved with molluscs.  All the
>new genera share very basic morphological characteristics of shell
>shape, base, aperture, etc.  When all are placed in the genus Cypraea,
>most people know what they are, and will assign correct binomial names.
> The absence of a subgenus name would not invalidate their labels, and
>inclusion of the subgenus name would not confuse either scientist or
>conchologist, but would indicate a further subgrouping that
>conchologists don't have the means to determine.  Both scientist and
>conchologist should be satisfied.
>
>Your speaking up on the topic would generate some direction to
>scientists who are not aware of a conchologist's concerns.
>--
>                     Aloha from Wesley M. Thorsson
>Editor of Internet Hawaiian Shell News, a monthly Internet Publication
>           122 Waialeale St, Honolulu, HI  96825-2020,  U.S.A
>       http://www.hits.net/~hsn                 [log in to unmask]
>