Conchology

The Conchologie (Latin concha, "Shell " and AltGr. Λόγος [ lógos ], "teaching" ) is concerned as a branch of zoology and simultaneously the Malacology primarily with the study of shells of shell molluscs. In addition, the designation Conchyologie or Konchyliologie is used, derived from the word Conchylien ( shells of molluscs); In French, the term is used conchyologie even exclusively. In many cases, the distinction between Malacology and Conchologie is today perceived as artificial and the use of one or another name is mainly attributable to the respective tradition.

General

Although the word Conchologie etymologically relates only to shells, in practice, the study of all groups shell -bearing molluscs is understood. In addition Conchologie often even includes the study of the molluscs itself (especially the snails, clams, chitons and Kahnfüßer ). Also shell parts (eg operculum ) are the subject of Conchologie. In addition to these groups, the cephalopods belong to it, although ( with the exception of the nautilus ) do not have external shells, because these developed in the course of evolution to inner shells and so among other things, now the buoyancy serve. Other groups, such as the nudibranchs, have their skeleton shell completely, inside and out, lost or it was replaced by a cartilaginous structure - they, too, are often considered the research object Conchologie.

In most cases, the interest in this field began by chance with the collecting of shells of recognizable aesthetics and the extremely high diversity of form, color and shape because of the shells.

History of Conchologie

Collecting shells has a long tradition as the mussel meat served as a welcome food and from the mussel shells could be produced jewelry. One finds from shells made ​​necklaces already in the Stone Age, some even far away from larger bodies of water or oceans, which suggests that these jewels were used as trade goods. These were so widespread that they are found in nearly all excavations, as in temple ruins of the Aztecs, during excavations in ancient China or ancient Indus cultures.

Even mussels have a long tradition as a means of payment. Especially the case of cowries were very far as such widespread and occurred between the 13th century BC to sporadically into the 20th century almost worldwide appropriate use.

During the Renaissance, people began to collect beautiful things in so-called cabinets of curiosities and made ​​available to the public. Because of their attractiveness, their diversity and their ubiquity took mussels a large place in such a collection. Shell -bearing molluscs can be found almost anywhere on the sea and also in many terrestrial and freshwater habitats. Towards the end of the seventeenth century, people began to deal scientifically with shells. Martin Lister published 1685-1692 Conchyliorum the Historia, the first comprehensive conchologische of more than 1000 drawings and engravings.

Georg Eberhard Rumpf ( Georgius Rumphius Everhardus; 1627-1702 ) was another important and at the same time earlier Conchologist, 1705 in the work Amboinische rarities chamber or treatise of the steinschaalichten animals which you published his findings snails and mussels calleth. Also by several blows of fate, and even blindness to G. Hull was not dissuaded from his research. He developed many names that were later picked up by Carl Linnaeus and reused.

Ever was the Conchologie / Malacology, like all other areas of zoology also revolutionized by Linnaeus and his nomenclature, as a first generally valid taxonomic standardization and systematics was created by him. The area of ​​mollusks and shells he described in a separate chapter of his Systema Naturae.

In the aftermath of Linnaeus mussel customer was also an official branch of zoology. There were also in the last decades, numerous significant Conchologen, about Baron Georges Cuvier, who by comparative anatomical studies realized in 1800 significant matches in the inner physique between the supposedly different shells and snails and both summarized in the phylum of mollusks. The Sowerby family researched and collected between the 18th and beginning of the 20th century, several generations molluscs. John Mawe (1764-1829) created with The Voyager 's Companion or Shell Collector's Pilot probably the first nature guide for shells. Hugh Cuming (1791-1865) was another mollusc researcher who was famous for its rich collection and had discovered some new species. Another important work was published in 1830 by Thomas Say American Conchology, or Descriptions of the Shells of North America, Illustrated From Coloured Figures From Original Drawings, Executed from Nature.

Perhaps the most important Conchologe the 20th century was R. Tucker Abbott ( 1919-1995 ). He published about 30 works on mollusks and shells. According to him, some snail species have been named, such as Conus abbotti or the Odostomia abbotti.

In addition, however, there were a number of other scientists who were concerned with the study of mollusc shells. Among many geologists and paleontologists who study the fossil remains of shell molluscs from the Erdfrühzeit.

Identification of sea shells and molluscs

For identification of seashells and mollusks primarily general or regional identification books and special fonts, certain taxa are concerning, zoom drawn. Often, " Iconography ", so help books with little text, but for a variety of pictorial representations of shells in determining further. ( Some of these are listed in the bibliography).

The root of the mollusks and shells is very large and the distinguishing characteristics are even within a species are not always uniform and are constantly discussed among experts. It so happens that every year several species resized or of other species, which they are accrued belonged before. It is estimated that the world's animal species on about 100,000.

Practical application of Conchologie

Today, aesthetic considerations play, at least for Conchologen / malacologists dealing professionally with the study of molluscs and their shells, only a subordinate role. For some time, the focus is more on rational field. Thus, many Conchologen deal with the study of molluscs, which are useful to man or may harm him.

In the study of useful molluscs, such as the shells of which, inter alia, as the scallops and oysters for food production or the pearl oysters that are bred for their pearls, we focused primarily on the ecology and life circumstances in order to make the breed more successful and productive.

In contrast, focuses on the exploration of the people and on the physiology of the animals to develop environmental hazardous molluscs and shells so effective control options that have the least possible negative impact on the environment. An example is the original European-based, but has now been introduced in North America, zebra mussels caused by the disturbance of natural ecosystems and technical equipment a numbered several million dollars annually for economic damage. Another example is poisonous cone snails that emit neurotoxins, which can also be dangerous to humans.

Organizations

Like other scientific specialties, the Conchologen in various local, regional and international associations and federations are organized. One of the major associations include:

• Societe internationale de Conchyliologie based in Lausanne
• Concholists of America ( umbrella organization of North America).
• Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland
• German club Conchyliensammler
• Conchlogische Association of Brazil

Museums in the German-speaking

There are numerous museums dedicated primarily or at least partly the subject Conchologie.

In Germany, the Senckenberg Museum takes headquartered in Frankfurt am Main here a out superior position, on the one hand, as it one of the largest museums belongs adjacent to the Natural History Museum Berlin with paleontological departments, it on the other, appearing since 1868 release news Malakozoologischen society out there and worked intensively with the exploration of fossil and extant molluscan species.

The Zoological State Collection Munich hosts in their section Mollusca a very rich collection, which was carried along in the origin of Johann Baptist von Spix during a trip to Brazil at the beginning of the 19th century and supplemented by gifts from John Roth. At the beginning of the 20th century some extensive collections were added. By now, the Molluskensektion the state collection to one of the largest in Germany with a population of about half of the world's known molluscan species and is also very active in the field of research.

Based in Dusseldorf Aquazoo -Löbbecke museum exhibits in its Löbbecke Collection around 250,000 both fossil and recent marine molluscs.

A smaller, but also very fine collection of fossil shell molluscs offers located in the zoo and Fossilium Bochum. The focus here is the exhibition of exhibits located in the Middle Franconia Solnhofen fossil deposit.

In Austria, the Natural History Museum Vienna certainly is an outstanding faculty in the field of Conchologie. The mollusc collection currently includes (April 2008) 700,000 series, of which about 2500 types where it is shellfish in the majority. Furthermore, the Landesmuseum Joanneum in Graz to call, the fossil invertebrates, mainly houses from the Styrian Basin.

In Switzerland, the Natural History Museum Bern holds with his much-publicized department Invertebrates an exposed position. The collection is based on legacies of the 19th century by Samuel Emanuel Studer and Robert James Shuttleworth, but was supplemented by donations from well-known current Conchologen and expanded.

Trivia

• In 1839, Edgar Allan Poe, with his friend Thomas Wyatt, with The Conchologist 's First Book written as an imaginary textbook work on molluscs and their shells.