Cowries and their relatives of Southern Africa
A study of the southern African cypraeacean and velutinacean gastropod fauna
The
cowries and their relatives are among the most strikingly beautiful and
enigmatic molluscs inhabiting the Earth’s oceans. Southern Africa, with
its diverse tropical and temperate marine environments, supports an
endemic cypraeacean (families Cypraeidae, Ovulidae and subfamily
Pediculariinae) and velutinacean (families Veluntinidae, Triviidae and
subfamily Eratoinae) fauna that is among the richest on Earth. Most
previous studies of the two superfamilies have been limited solely to
their shells, with little discussed about their biology, natural history
and evolutionary relationships. Cowries and their relatives of southern
Africa redresses this, providing information on their morphology,
developmental biology and biogeography, higher systematics and phylogeny,
generic subdivision, systematics of the endemic species, their predators
and concerns regarding conservation of the species. Phenomena such as
mimicry and aberrations in shell morphology, also receive attention.
Although the primary objective of this study is to concentrate on formerly poorly known species endemic to southern Africa, Angola and Mozambique, detailed accounts of Indo-Pacific and West African taxa are also provided. The more than one hundred species accounts in the book are accompanied by lucid, colour accurate photographs of shell and animal variation. Many of the species treated, were discovered and described during the past few decades. Other, more widespread, species were recorded from the southern African region for the first time. Since the first edition of Cowries and their relatives of southern Africa appeared in 1989, sufficient new information and material became available to warrant consolidation in an updated second enlarged edition (2000). Improvements in printing technology has notably enhanced the original high-quality plates. New supplementary text accompanied by 86 new photographic images and illustrations are contained in the main body of the book and its appendices. A full-colour bound supplement: "A new species of Cypraeovula occurring off the northern part of the Eastern Cape, South Africa, with notes on possible genetic relationships and oceanographic influences on its distribution" (2001), increases the second edition from 224 to 232 pages, providing fresh insight on several fascinating and little-known species.
With taxonomic classifications often being re-evaluated, the book remains a valuable reference work within this intriguing sphere of malacology.
The second enlarged edition of this comprehensive regional monograph contains:
More than 65 detailed black-ink and colored-pencil illustrations; numerous black-and-white photographs and scanning electron micrographs; over 700 colour photographs showing rarely seen living animals and their shells; photographs of the Cape coastline and its subtidal reefs.
A topographical map of southern Africa with localities referred to in the text; individual distribution maps for the endemic species.
- A comprehensive glossary.
- A detailed bibliography of literature.
- A striking high quality laminated dust-jacket with French-folds and spot varnished detail.
- Book dimensions: 22×35 cm.; 232 pages (incl. supplement).
- Retail price: US $95. excl. postage. Discounted commercial rates available.
P.O. Box 372
Noordhoek 7979
Cape
Republic of South Africa
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| Cypraeovula castanea subsp. latebrosa | Cypraeovula connelli |
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| Cypraeovula iutsui subsp. atlantica (R. Nieft \ B. de Bruin) | Volva volva (D. King) |
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| Trivia goslineri / T. debruini | Phenacovolva weaveri |
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| Ovula ishibashi (D. Herbert) | an assortment of southern African Cypraeidae |
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| Luponia castanea (Higgins' historical plate - 1868 ) |
