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. Also available in paperback [stock id 37853].

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.

Reaktion Animal Series. The octopus is generally acknowledged to be the most intelligent invertebrate in the world: according to marine biologists the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) has a mental capacity comparable with that of a dog. This book explores both what is known and unknown about the mind of an octopus, as well as detailing the animal’s remarkable natural history. Here, Schweid documents the long and multi-faceted relationship between human and cephalopod. It shows how, over the millennia, some people have considered octopuses as nothing more than a tasty meal, and how they are an important component of the modern global fish and seafood industry. Other cultures regard them as erotic totems, or symbols of the darkest evils. The octopus has always fascinated people, and this book will immerse readers in its amazing world.

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.

Reaktion Animal Series. For most of us, snails do not elicit feelings of warmth or affection. Apart from our repugnance at its appearance, our relationship with the snail has been influenced by the harm it has inflicted over the years on our garden seedlings. With this book, Williams wishes to change our perspectives on this little but much maligned creature. Beginning with an overview of our relationship with snails, slugs and sea-snails, Williams goes on to examine snail evolution; snail behaviour and habitat; snails as food, medicine and the source of useful chemicals and dyes; snail shells as collectible objects; and snails in literature, art and popular culture. The book concludes with a plea for a reconsideration of the snail as a dignified, ancient creature that deserves our respect, rather than one to be thoughtlessly squashed underfoot after a shower of rain.

Tailored for Tasmania, but relevant for all of southern Australia, this field guide has comprehensive and authoritative coverage of all species likely to be encountered on the shore. The colour photographs illustrate the commonest 350 species. The facing text describes these and a further 100 species.

The author Dr Simon Grove is a professional conservation biologist with a lifelong passion for seashells, marine life and natural history – and a shell collection to match.