molluscs

This book provides a natural history of the seashell. Two major themes weave through the narrative: the science and natural history of shells and their original owners, and the cultural importance and ways they have been used by humans over the millennia. Helen Scales shows how these simple objects have been sculpted by fundamental rules of mathematics and evolution, how they gave us colour, gems, food and money, and how they are prompting new medicines and teaching scientists how our brains work. Seashells are also bellwethers of the impact of humanity on the environment.
Molluscs today face an onslaught of anthropogenic challenges, notably ocean acidification, a side-effect of climate change that could see 30% of all seashells gone in just twenty-five years. But rather than dwelling on what we risk losing, this book emphasises that seashells offer an accessible way to reconnect with nature, helping to heal the rift between ourselves and the living world, and it reveals in full the amazing story of these undersea wonders of calcium carbonate.

Octopuses have been captivating humans for as long as we have been catching them. Yet for all of our ancient fascination and modern research, we still have not been able to get a firm grasp on these enigmatic creatures. Katherine Harmon Courage dives into the mystifying underwater world of the octopus and reports on her research around the world. She reveals, for instance, that the oldest known octopus lived before the first dinosaurs and that two thirds of an octopus’s brain capacity is spread throughout its arms. Filled with interviews with leading experts, this book is both entertaining and scientifically grounded.

This manual contains the main diagnostic shell characters of 189 species and 83 subspecies the taxonomic level of which is confirmed in a Project Intraspecific variation in living cowries (1998-2012). All the conclusions drawn in this project are based on the results of conchological studies. The diagnostic conchological information is supplemented in the Manual by discussion of the 18 main cowry forms and illustrated by more than 1,100 colour pictures.

This volume provides a thorough introduction to the history, systematic, classification, biology, fisheries, and cultural use of abalone. The emphasis is on diversity, illustrating all known abalone taxa. Multiple shells of even the rarest species and hybrids are shown, along with many images of live animals. One species and two subspecies new to science are described.

In this beautifully photographed book, three leading marine biologists bring readers face to face with these amazingly complex animals that have fascinated scientists for decades. From the molluscan ancestry of today’s Octopus to its ingenious anatomy, amazing mating and predatory behaviors, and other-worldly relatives, the authors take readers through the astounding life cycle, uncovering the details of distinctive octopus personalities.

Co-authored by one of the world’s pre-eminent scholars, this book illustrates a life-sized collection of 600 of the world’s most significant shells. Each entry is accompanied by a miniature line-drawing and beautiful life-size photograph enabling rapid identification, whilst magnified details reveal the diversity of pattern. The result is a beautiful book that is both a significant resource for enthusiasts and scholars, and the most visually stimulating guide to shells you could wish to find.