Malacology Research Studies | Natural History Museum of Los Angeles

Research in the Malacology Department

Lindsey Groves' research involves the paleontology, biostratigraphy, paleobiogeography, and systematics of the Late Jurassic to Recent molluscan superfamily Cypraeoidea (cowries and their kin) and the Late Cretaceous to Recent family Haliotidae (abalones). Geographic area of interest includes the entire Western Hemisphere with an emphasis on the eastern Pacific region from southern British Columbia to central Chile, and the entire Caribbean Basin. He has described new cypraeid taxa from Late Cretaceous through early Pliocene strata. Current research projects include: descriptions of new Paleocene and Eocene cypraeids and ovulids from Washington, California, Baja California, Mexico, and Peru; preparation of a companion volume to Keen and Bentson’s (1944) monumental Check list of California Tertiary marine Mollusca with Richard L. Squires and LouElla Saul; a revision of the cypraeid genus Muracypraea; and an annotated list of the fossil taxa described by paleontologist William More Gabb from the 1850s through the 1870s.

Curator Emeritus Dr. James McLean has recently completed the illustrations and text for a two volume guide to the shelled marine gastropods occurring in the cold and temperate waters of the northeastern and northwestern Pacific. Together these volumes will treat over 1800 species, including approximately 400 species recognized as new. The first volume will focus on the species occurring from British Columbia to central Baja California, Mexico and the second will concentrate on species that occur between the Kurile Islands, Russia, and Alaska. Both volumes will include species from British Columbia, Canada. He is also finishing work on a Revision of Worldwide Liotiidae, Recent and Fossil (Gastropoda: Vetigastropoda) with 400 species, of which 255 are new species.