Brought together by Winston F. Ponder and David R. Lindberg, thirty-six experts on the evolution of the Mollusca provide an up-to-date review of its evolutionary history. The Mollusca are the second largest animal phylum and boast a fossil record of over 540 million years. They exhibit remarkable anatomical diversity and include the bivalves (scallops, oysters, and clams), gastropods (limpets, snails, and slugs), and cephalopods (squid, cuttlefish, and octopus). This study treats each major taxon and supplies general information as well as overviews of evolution and phylogeny using data from different sources—morphological, ultrastructural, molecular, developmental, and from the fossil record.

Winston F. Ponder is an Honorary Fellow at the Australian Museum in Sydney, Australia, from where he recently retired after a long career as a research scientist specializing on molluscs. David R. Lindberg is Professor of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Curator for the University of California Museum of Paleontology. He is also coeditor of Molecular Systematics and Phylogeography of Mollusks.

“The book is produced to a very high standard, and the graphics and illustrations are superb. It is a ‘must have’ reference for any scientist working with mollusks.”—Systematic Biology

“This book is a must-have for researchers studying molluscan (or even invertebrate) evolution. It includes an incredible amount of useful information, all of which is well-referenced.”—Bulletin of Marine Science

“[Will] serve as standard reference for evolutionary ecologists over the next decade.”—Marine Ecology

“Provides an updated collation badly needed. . . . Makes exciting reading, all the more so because in providing overviews of work in progress it reflects divergent opinions.”—Science (aaas)

"This volume is the most up-to-date summary of what we know and don't know about molluscan phylogeny. Its great strength lies in outstanding reviews written by experts on both molecular approaches and the fossil record. It will serve as a standard reference work for years to come."—Geerat J. Vermeij, Distinguished Professor of Geology, University of California, Davis

"Ponder and Lindberg provides a breathtaking overview of the evolutionary history of the Mollusca, effectively melding information from anatomy, ecology, genomics, and paleobiology to explore the depths of molluscan phylogeny. Its outstanding success is due to thoughtful planning, focused complementary contributions from 36 expert authors, and careful editing. This volume is a must for malacologists."—Bruce Runnegar, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles

"Our understanding of the phylogeny and evolutionary history of the mollusca has been revolutionized over the past two decades through new molecular data and analysis, and reinvestigation of morphological characters. In this volume Ponder, Lindberg, and their colleagues do a wonderful job of integrating this work to provide new perspectives on the relationships of the major molluscan clades, their evolutionary dynamics, and their history. Particularly timely is the coverage of molluscan evo-devo and genomics."—Douglas H. Erwin, Curator of Paleozoic Invertebrates, National Museum of Natural History