CONCH-L Archives

Conchologists List

CONCH-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Helmut Nisters <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 9 Jul 1999 17:11:34 PDT
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (65 lines)
Dear Kurt and others

Actually in Germany Dr. Hartmut Nordsieck from Villingen-Schwenningen (Baden-Württemberg) is the only real worldwide specialist of the Fam. Clausiliidae and he has a lot of work with it. He just worked on the European families and his works were printed in Senckenberg Frankfurt.
A famous type collection of Chinese Clausiliidae is located in the
Gredler collection at the Franziskanergymnasium Bolzano (Alto Adige)
revised by Zilch, formerly curator of the shellcollection of the
Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt.
More on Clausiliidae I can report later maybe versus september.
with best shelling greetings
Helmut from Innsbruck


Helmut Nisters
Franz-Fischer-Str. 46
A-6020 Innsbruck / Austria / Europe
phone and fax: 0043 / 512 / 57 32 14
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
url: www.netwing.at/nisters/

or

Natural History Department of the
Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum Innsbruck
malacological collection
Feldstr. 11a
A-6020 Innsbruck / Austria / Europe
phone: 0043 / 512 / 58 72 86-37

----------
Just as an addition to the message below.  As stated, the clausilium is not
homologous to an operculum.  However, it acts in much the same way.  It
consists of a plate (the "pseudo-operculum") with a spiraled pedicle which
extends upward and is embedded in and attached to the soft tissue of the
animal.  When the animal retracts, the clausilium is pulled backward and it
closes off the interior of the shell much like an operculum.  Many species
have a lunella about 3/4 whorl back. This is a series (sometimes just one)
of 'tooth-like' lamellae on the inside of the shell.  These lamellae lock
the clausilium plate in place.  Very effective.

I can't remember the earliest known record, but the group was well
diversified by the Miocene throughout much of Eurasia.  There are basically
two main groups, although they are split up further.  The Nenininae (check
spelling) occurs in south, east, and southeast Asia and South America.
There are a few outliers in the Greater Antilles and elsewhere.  The
Clausilinae (again check spelling) occurs from Central Asia westward
through Europe.  This is a HUGE group.

I've heard that two European researchers are putting together a catalog of
the Clausiliidae of the world.  A welcome contribution hopefully out in the
next year or two.

OK, enough fun.  Got to work.  Kurt


At 08:12 AM 7/9/99 -0400, you wrote:
>>2. Why is the operculum of the Door snail (Land) called the
>>Clausilium?
>
>In Latin claustrum means door, or barrier. Incidentally, a clausilium is not
>exactly an operculum, since the snail does not carry it on its foot.
>Clausilium is a part of the shell.
>
>A.
>

ATOM RSS1 RSS2