gastropods

Byne's disease, more accurately known as Bynesian decay, is a peculiar and permanently damaging condition (resulting from an on-going chemical reaction) which often attacks mollusk shells that are in storage or on display for long periods of time. Bynesian decay is a form of efflorescence of salts formed by the reaction of acidic vapors with the basic shell surface. This can superficially resemble a growth of mold. Although this condition was first described in the early 19th century, Bynesian decay was not well understood until almost a hundred years later. The condition is named after the man (Loftus Byne) who is best known for describing it in the late 19th century, even though he was not the first person to describe this condition in a publication. In addition, Byne mistakenly assumed that the condition was caused by bacteria, and thus the condition came to be referred to as a "disease".

As well as mollusk shells, various other natural history specimens are susceptible to this form of decay, including eggshells and some fossils and mineral samples that are composed of calcium carbonate. This condition is of concern for museum scientists, and also for anyone who has a private collection of specimens of these kinds. (Read more...)

Stephen Jay Gould (September 10, 1941 – May 20, 2002) was an American paleontologist, evolutionary biologist and historian of science. He was also one of the most influential and widely read writers of popular science of his generation. Gould spent most of his career teaching at Harvard University and working at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. In the latter years of his life, Gould also taught biology and evolution at New York University near his home in SoHo.

Gould's greatest contribution to science was the theory of punctuated equilibrium, which he developed with Niles Eldredge in 1972. Most of Gould's empirical research was based on the land snails Poecilozonites and Cerion, which are endemic to Bermuda and the Caribbean area respectively.

Gould also contributed to evolutionary developmental biology, and has received wide praise for his book Ontogeny and Phylogeny. In evolutionary theory he opposed strict selectionism, sociobiology as applied to humans, and evolutionary psychology. He campaigned against creationism and proposed that science and religion should be considered two distinct fields, or "magisteria", whose authorities do not overlap. (Read more...)

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  ... that Neripteron cornucopia (three views of a shell pictured) was rediscovered in India after 180 years?

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  ... that the distribution of Perrottetia aquilonaria (pictured) include Thailand and Laos?

• ... that there are 199 species of marine gastropods in Montenegro?

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  ... that the marine gastropod Coriocella nigra (pictured) has five lobes on its body?

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  ... that while mating, some species of bat-winged slugs (Siphopteron quadrispinosum pictured) stab each other with a two-pronged penis?

• ... that the limpet Iothia emarginuloides is commonly found on the red alga Phyllophora antarctica, which grows under the Antarctic sea ice?

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  ... that the scale worm Arctonoe vittata protects the keyhole limpet Diodora aspera (shell pictured) with which it lives, by attacking predatory starfish?

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  ... that sea slug Chelidonura fulvipunctata (pictured) is likely an anti-Lessepsian migrant?

• ... that the Cretaceous snail Condonella was described in 1927, but not placed into a snail family until 2000?

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  ... that the closest relative of Pleurobranchus areolatus (pictured) from Caribbean is Pleurobranchus varians from Central Pacific?

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  ... that the snail Maizaniella sapoensis (shell pictured) is named after Sapo National Park, Liberia, where it lives?

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  ... that Sinotaia aeruginosa (shell pictured) is common in restaurants in China?

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  ... that Acmella nana (shell pictured) is the smallest known land snail?

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  ... that Semisulcospira libertina (shell pictured) is the most common freshwater snail in Japan?

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  ... that the fragile shell of the glassy nautilus Carinaria cristata (pictured) was at one time considered to be worth more than its weight in gold?

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  ... that Spurilla neapolitana (pictured) defends itself with stinging cells derived from the sea anemones it eats?

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  ... that Pupilla pratensis (shell pictured) has long been neglected in the malacological literature?

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  ... that there are 12 endemic species of freshwater snails in Lake Skadar (map pictured)?

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  ... that the land snail Balea sarsii (shell pictured) has been overlooked for a long time?

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  ... that the land snail Vertigo ultimathule (shell pictured) is endemic to the northernmost part of Scandinavia?

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  ... that flashes of light emitted by the sea snail Hinea brasiliana (shell pictured) may act as a "burglar alarm"?

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  ... that the sea snail Halystina umberlee (pictured) was named after Umberlee, a fictional evil goddess from the Forgotten Realms role-playing game?

• ... that Candidula arganica, a snail found in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, lives primarily in meadows?

• ... that Candidula spadae, a snail native to Central Italy, is at risk in part because of tourist activities?

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  ... that the land slug Rathouisia leonina (pictured) from China is carnivorous?

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  ... that the subterranean freshwater snail Hauffenia sp. from Slovakia (shell pictured) has been an undescribed species since the 1980s?

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  ... that the land snail Oxychilus camelinus (pictured) was described from Lebanon?

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  ... that land snails of the genus Abbottella (Abbottella calliotropis shell pictured) live on the islands of Hispaniola and Cuba?

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  ... that the snail Tonna galea (pictured) is one of very few species of prosobranch gastropods that are luminescent?

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  ... that the land snail Notodiscus hookeri (shell pictured) has unique shell structure among all gastropods?

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  ... that the microscopic cave snail Zospeum tholussum (pictured) is so slow that in a week's time it may only move a few millimeters or centimeters in circles?

• ... that the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo has probably the largest malacological collection in Latin America, with over 100,000 lots?

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  ... that there are at least 12 species of Pontohedyle sea slugs (Pontohedyle milaschewitchii pictured)?

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  ... that the scavenger sea snail Kelletia kelletii (shell pictured) is a fishery species in California?

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  ... that Swiss malacologist Albert Mousson was also a physicist?

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  ... that the nudibranch Flabellina verrucosa (pictured) incorporates stinging cells from its prey into its tissues?

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  ... that Filopaludina martensi (shell pictured) is used as part of the cuisine of Thailand?

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  ... that Dutch malacologist Mattheus Marinus Schepman (pictured) originally described hundreds of taxa?

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  ... that the glacial index fossil for the Pleistocene Pupilla loessica (pictured) lives in Central Asia?

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  ... that the land snail Simpulopsis rufovirens (pictured) is green?

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  ... that the freshwater snail Neotricula aperta (shell pictured) transfers Schistosoma mekongi, which causes Mekong schistosomiasis in southeastern Asia?

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  ... that the tree snail Newcombia cumingi (pictured) is the only Newcombia species found on the island of Maui?

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  ... that malacologist Amos Binney (pictured) co-founded the Boston Society of Natural History?

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  ... that the land snail Omalonyx convexus (pictured) can also be found submerged among macrophytes?

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  ... that the malacologist S. Peter Dance said the shell of Pterynotus loebbeckei, (pictured), was the "most exquisite natural object" he had ever seen?

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  ... that the semi-slug Helicarion mastersi (pictured) lives in forests in New South Wales?

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  ... that aquatic snail Hydrobia ulvae (shell pictured) is very common in the upper half of the intertidal zone?

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  ... that the frilled anemone (pictured) is eaten by the shag rug nudibranch?

• ... that marine biologist Frederick Bayer discovered 170 new species, including a number of sea snails?

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  ... that the only brackish-water pachychilid species, Faunus ater (shell pictured), has a shell that is unique among all the Cerithioidea?

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  ... that the genus Cremnoconchus (Cremnoconchus syhadrensis pictured) is the only freshwater genus within the Littorinidae, the periwinkles?

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  ... that British malacologist Edgar Albert Smith (pictured) was awarded the Imperial Service Order?

• ... that six species of gastropods have been named in honor of Virginia Orr Maes?

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  ... that there are 197 species of molluscs in Montana (map pictured)?

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  ... that Pachydrobiella brevis (shell pictured) lives only in the Khong Island region of the Mekong River, even in the whitewater?

• ... that gastropods are unique among animals, because some lineages of terrestrial gastropods evolved during the Cenozoic?

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  ... that the owl limpet (pictured) maintains a small meadow of algal turf for its own exclusive use?

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  ... that species in the genera Blanfordia (Blanfordia bensoni pictured) and Fukuia are "Japan Sea elements"?

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  ... that the pomatiopsid Cecina (Cecina manchurica pictured) lives among decaying seaweeds?

Categories about gastropods:

Request to editors: please do not create any more categories of gastropods by country. Instead create list articles, article with a list of the marine or non-marine gastropods of whichever country or area you are interested in. We would also like to empty and delete the two remaining country categories we have, adding that information to list articles instead. Thank you.