Projects
Sampling litter samples for terrestrial mico-molluscs in Canada: The minute land molluscs that dwell in leaf litter have historically been neglected in many parts of Canada. Their small size has meant that they have been overlooked by all but the most dedicated naturalists/malacologists. I am looking for donations of leaf litter samples from anywhere in Canada. Samples should be between 1-2 L in volume. Dot map showing localities of samples process to date.
Novisuccinea strigata in BC and taxonomy of the species: Recent records from B.C. will be documented, along with notes on the taxonomic position of the species.
Northwest land snail surveys: Continued surveys for terrestrial molluscs in northwestern B.C. (where I live), especially along the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16) corridor from the Bulkley Valley near Smithers west to the coast.
Revised catalogue (and bibliography) of the Recent terrestrial Mollusca of Canada: Current knowledge of these organisms in Canada is scattered and there is no modern, complete list of terrestrial molluscs inhabiting the country. The latest works containing the majority of terrestrial mollusc species for Canada, are the checklist by Aurèle La Rocque (1953), the monograph of North American land Mollusca by Pilsbry (1939-1948), and a catalogue of non-marine molluscs of Alaska and Canada by Dall (1905). Dall's catalogue is long-since outdated. The still useful catalogue of La Rocque relies heavily on the monograph of Pilsbry, but like Pilsbry's work, is fast becoming dated as systematics of the group change and additional species are discovered in Canada. No modern list is available to the public and the government agencies. While a revised list of the entire molluscan fauna of Canada would be welcomed and useful, I believe that a smaller project — the development of a terrestrial mollusca — is feasible. One of the strong points of La Rocque's catalogue is his extensive bibliography. It is my intention to update this bibliography as well (see the working draft online here). The inclusion of Alaska within the scope of the catalogue, as done by La Rocque, may be desirable but is not being attempted at this time. While the acquisition of literature for the bibliography is well underway, the formulation of a checklist is slowed by several difficulties. In connection to this project, the next two are related in that they contribute incrementally to an overall Canada-wide checklist:
Alberta checklist: I continue to update my preliminary checklist and bibliography of the terrestrial molluscs of Alberta, as I acquire new data and literature. Still to do: confirm certain species of questionable inclusion in the fauna; check other collections. Aquire additional material for comparison.
Ontario checklist: With new contacts in Ontario, this project is well underway, with a similiar format as the for Alberta list/bibliography.