What is Malacology?
[[File:Moluscos del Estado Falcon 000.jpg|thumb|200px|'''Gastropods ''' A.''Cassis madagascarensis'' (Cassididae), B.''[[Charonia variegata]]'' (Cymatiidae), C.''Chicoreus brevifrons'' (Muricidae) D.''[[Tonna galea]]'' (Tonnidae), E.''Nerita pelotonta'' (Neritidae), F. ''Tonna maculosa'' (Tonnidae), G.''Turbinella angulata'' (Turbinellidae), H.''Turritella variegata'' (Turritellidae), I.''Vasun muricatum'' (Turbinellidae).]] '''Malacology''' is the study of [[molluscs]]. These animals include [[snail|snails]], [[slug|slugs]], [[octopus]], [[squid]], and [[bivalve]]s generally, such as [[clam|clams]] and [[mussel|mussels]]. Most of them have [[Animal shell|shells]]. The shells are often collected for their beauty and interest. Many people eat molluscs, especially those people who live near the ocean. Those scientists who study molluscs are called ''malacologists''. They identify and classify them, and find out everything they can about their lives. == Types == === Types of gastropods === The [[gastropods]] are the most common type of mollusc. They have about 70,000 described species. * marine [[gastropod]] ** [[sea snail]] ** [[sea slug]] * non-marine gastropod ** [[freshwater]] gastropod: with very few exceptions, the only freshwater molluscs are freshwater snails *** freshwater snail ** [[terrestrial animal|terrestrial]] gastropod: gastropods are the only group of molluscs which have some species living on land *** land [[snail]] *** land [[slug]] *** semi-slug === Types of bivalves === With 20,000 described species, [[bivalves]] are the second commonest class of molluscs. There are several classifications of bivalves in use. This is a rough guide: *Pteromorphia including the **File shells **[[Mussels]] **[[Oyster]]s **[[Pearl]] oysters and [[pen]] shells *Heterodonta **Soft-shelled clams **Shipworms (''Turedo'') **[[Clam|Hard-shelled clams]], [[cockles]] and [[razor]] shells ==Malacologists== [[File:Susan Hewitt with gastropod shell Sept 2011.jpg|thumb|Malacologist and friend]] * Horace Burrington Baker (1