Malacology

Malacology (from Greek μαλακός malakos, soft ') is a traditional name for the area of ​​research on the molluscs ( Mollusca ). In Germany today is roughly equivalent to the term Malakozoologie ( mollusc customer) in use.

Malacology and Conchologie

The area of ​​Malacology, which specifically dealt with the exploration of the shells of molluscs, the Conchologie. Shells of molluscs represent a significant cultural and historical aspect, as the shells of mollusks often found and continue to find use, for example, as jewelry, cash and in geology as index fossils.

History and people

Early compilations of molluscs have been around since the 18th century. So in 1794 by Georg Gustav Detharding ( 1765-1838 ) was published a compilation of the mollusks of Mecklenburg.

Below is a list of significant German earlier malacologists:

  • Ludwig Heinrich Bojanus (1776-1827)
  • Joachim Friedrich Bolten (1718-1796)
  • Carl Chun (1852-1914)
  • William Dunker (1809-1885)
  • Georg von Frauenfeld (1807-1873)
  • Wilhelm Kobelt (1840-1916)
  • Karl Emil Lischke (1813-1886)
  • Hermann von Maltzan (1843-1891)
  • Carl Eduard von Martens (1831-1904)
  • Nils Hjalmar Odhner (1884-1973)
  • Paetel Friedrich (1812-1888)
  • Ludwig Karl Georg Pfeiffer (1805-1877)
  • Rudolph Amandus Philippi (1808-1904)
  • Peter Frederick Roeding (1767-1846)
  • Luitfried Salvini - Plawen ( b. 1939 )
  • Hermann role
  • Mattheus Marinus Schepman (1847-1919)
  • Johannes Thiele (1860-1935)
  • William Wenz

Societies and journals

From the 19th century malacological societies were founded, including as early as 1868 the German Malacological Society (DMG, today Malakozoologische German company); you belong to about 250 members. The American Malacological Society was founded in 1931. Below is a selection malakologischer and conchologischer companies:

  • American Malacological Society
  • Vereniging voor Belgische Conchyliologie
  • Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland
  • Conchologists of America
  • Eesti Malakoloogia Ühing ( Estonian Malacological Association )
  • European Quaternary Malacologists
  • Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society
  • German Malakozoologische society
  • Italian Society Malacologia
  • Malacological Society of Australasia
  • Malacological Society of London
  • Malacological Society of the Philippines Inc.
  • Nederlandse Vereniging Malacologische ( Dutch Malacological Association )
  • Sociedad Española de Malacologia
  • Société Belge de Malacologie
  • Stowarzyszenie Malakologów Polskich (Association of Polish malacologists )
  • Western Society of Malacologists

Many companies give out scientific journals on the field of Malacology; partly they are more regional information brochures, partly internationally respected journals also. Important Malacological Journals:

  • American Malacological Bulletin
  • Archive for Molluskenkunde
  • Basteria
  • Fish & Shellfish Immunology
  • Folia Malacologica
  • Journal of Conchology
  • Journal of Medical and Applied Malacology
  • Journal of molluscan studies
  • Malacologia
  • Malacological Review
  • Mollusca
  • Molluscan research
  • The Nautilus
  • The veliger
  • Venus ( Japanese Journal of Malacology )
  • Vita Marina

Malacology today

Many institutions and companies as well as volunteer researchers refer to themselves today as representatives of Malacology or Malakozoologie. Frequently the term is, however, replaced by Molluskenkunde or Molluskenforschung. University and museum scientists who deal with molluscs, call themselves, however, depending on the orientation, focus and methodology of their employment often rather zoologist, taxonomists, paleontologist, ecologist, evolutionary biologist, neurobiologist or marine biologist.

Able addition to basic research to Malacology also devotes practical issues ( Applied Malacology ) function, so in agriculture, where snails can occur as plant pests, and in medicine, where they serve as intermediate hosts of human pathogens ( schistosomiasis ) and cause lethal hazards of poisons ( cone snails ).

Significant research sites, each with several scientists and with some important collections malakologischer alignment can be found in German-speaking countries at several sites, particularly at the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, at the University of Munich and the Bavarian State Collection, at the Senckenberg Museum, and at the universities of Frankfurt, Gießen, Hamburg and Basel. The most important Austrian mollusc is located at the Natural History Museum in Vienna. In Northern Germany, particularly the House of Nature in Cismar / East Holstein should be mentioned.

  • Museums and institutions, which, with mollusks deal on weichtiere.at.
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