Australia's Spectacular Cowries: A Review and Field Study of Two Endemic Genera--Zoila and Umbilia [Hardcover]

Barry Wilson (Author), Peter Clarkson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2004

This comprehensive volume is designed as a practical handbook for marine biologists, divers, shell collectors, students and naturalists. Covering 10 species of the endemic Australian genera Zoila and Umbilia, "Australia's Spectacular Cowries" offers an impressive collation of information on the variation, distribution, habitats, living and fossil history of these popular and beautiful marine animals. Most of the species in these groups are characterised by extreme variability in shell form and colour pattern.

With photographs of over 600 shell specimens, each of the known variations of every species is illustrated in full colour. The book also includes detailed distribution maps and more then 250 photographs of the animals in their natural habitats. "Australia's Spectacular Cowries" is a concise, easy-to-read guide to these endemic Australian cowries.

Editorial Reviews

Review

For the first time hundreds of shells are shown in their natural habitats. . . This is truly a monumental work . . . -- Hugh Morrison, American Conchologist, June 2004

About the Author

BARRY WILSON was born in 1935 in Busselton, a coastal town in the southwest of Western Australia. His family ran a beach-side shop and most of his childhood was spent on the seashore where he gained his life-long interest in marine natural history.

In 1965 he was awarded a PhD from the University of Western Australia based on research on marine molluscs. This was followed by post-doctoral studies in mulluscan systematics at Harvard University.

Appointed Curator of Molluscs at the Western Australian Museum, he has since held positions as Director of the National Museum of Victoria and Director of Nature Conservation in the Department of Conservation and Land Management in Western Australia.

He is now a consultant on marine and conservation matters and writes books on molluscs and nature conservation.

Barry is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering and a member of the Western Australia Science Council. He is Chairman of the Western Australian Marine Parks and Reserves Authority. In 2003 he was awarded the Australian Centennial Medal for services to the community in marine science.

PETER CLARKSON was born in Adelaide in 1960 and as a child spent most of his holidays at his family's beachside shack on Yorke Peninsula. Marine life in general fascinated him, but by the age of ten, his attention was directed to seashells after finding specimens of Zoila and Notocypraea on local intertidal reefs. He learned to SCUBA dive in 1975 and has been out of the water as little as possible since.

In 1981 he graduated from Adelaide University with a degree in Zoology and Economic Geology. After working sporadically in both fields, in 1988 he commenced commercial abalone diving full time in Port Lincoln, South Australia. This industry continues to provide him with a livelihood and has funded his participation in this book over the last seven years.

Although keenly interested in the Zoila and Umbilia cowries, his favourite mulluscan group is the Spondylidae. His other passions include cycling, weight-training, bushwalking, cooking, reading, metalliferous mining history, photography (land and underwater), and Australian native plants, in particular cultivating Banksias.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 396 pages
• Publisher: Odyssey Publishing (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966172027
• ISBN-13: 978-0966172027
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,352,152 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Australia's Spectacular Cowries, November 24, 2004

By 

Dr. George Bogen (Los Angeles CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Australia's Spectacular Cowries: A Review and Field Study of Two Endemic Genera--Zoila and Umbilia (Hardcover)

This book is nothing short of spectacular! I am fully impressed by the photography, the artistic layouts, color schemes, map layouts, attention to detail and overall balance betweena art and science. Notwithstanding, the scientific text and information presented in this beautiful monograph is cutting edge, but the overall impression given to the reader is that you're looking at the finest work ever published and dedicated to this paricular subject. Shell collecting, in and of itself, represents a very small microcosm in zoology, but Australia's Spectacular Cowries has elevated this science to a great new and higher level. Mr. Jackson should be commended for an excellent job, and I believe that this work has raised the bar for all other publishers attempting to capture the essence and soul of shell collecting. This book is truly a piece of art! I have never seen any work on the subject that even compares to this effort. Many others I know will want to share and appreciate the pleasure of owning this top of the line jewel for decades to come.