BOOK NOTICE

[Giannuzzi]

                     BOOK NOTICE
       F. Giusti, G. Manganelli & P.J. Schembri

      The non-marine molluscs of the Maltese Islands
         In 8!, hard cover, pp. 587 with 635 figs.


This monograph springs from a joint project which malacologists of the Dip.
di Biologia Evolutiva of the University of Siena (Italy) and biologists of
the Dep. of Biology of University of Msida (Malta) undertook since the
beginning of the '80s. The aim of the project was to revise the fossil and
recente land and freshwater malacofauna of the Maltese Islands, to
invesitgate its relationship with that of the neighbouring lands of Italy
and nort Africa, and to reconstruct its past ald recent history. The work
begins with a general description of the islands (physical geography,
geology, soil, geomorphology, climate, water rseource and humane influence).
This is foolowed by descriptiond of vegetation, of the fossil and recent,
non marine fauna, and of the biogeography of the Maltese Islands. Sections
on general organization, morphology and systematics of the Gastropoda and
Bivalvia and on history of malacological research in the Maltese Islands,
together with an analytical key for the identification of the species,
precede the catalogue of the species. Each of the 78 species listed is
described and illustrated in detail with comments and references to the
literature for synonyms and all the characters usually used in taxonomic
studies. The description is followed by sections on habitat, distribution,
status and conservation, and remarks on taxonomy, systematics and
biogeography. The book concludes with a shor chapter on "Doubtful species
and uncertain identifications", general conclusions an Appendix and
Referecnes".
The worh is novel in that it is designed to serve as a guide to the
identification of the species, at the same time providing information on
which future detailed scientific studies can be based.
It will be a useful tool for the many amateur malacogists and for anyone
interested in the scientific study of the taxonomy and zoogeography of the
terrestrial, brackish-water and freshwater molluscs of the Mediterranean
area and the western Palearctic. It will also be useful to zoogists
specializing in other groups of invertebrates and vertebrates, interest in
the past and recent faunistic history and biogeography of the Mediterranean
area.

Price
L. it. 130.000 = USD 90.00

           Arie W. Jansen

Systematic revision of holoplanktonic Mollusca in the collections of
"Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra" at Torino, Italy

In 8!, pp. 233 with 3 figs and 14 plates

In this work the collection of holoplanktonic mollusca (Gastropoda:
Heteropoda and Euthecosomata) housed in the "Dipartimento di Scienze della
Terra" at Torino, including type and illustrated material published by
Bellardi (1873); Audenino (1897), Sacco (1904) and Pavia & Robba (1979) is
systematically revised. A total of 46 taxa (3 Heteropoda and 43
Euthecosomata) predominantly originating from Miocene an Pliocene deposits
in northern Italy are recognised, 9 of which remain in open nomenclature.
A new family, three new genera as a new species are introduced in the
Euthecosomata. Neotypes are disignated for 4 species whereas lectotypes are
selected for 15 other euthecosomatous species. New illustrationd are
provided for all taxa.
Price: L. it. 80.000 = USD 53.00