BASTERIA, 66:121-122, 2002
Boekbespreking
SCHULTZ, O., 2001. Bivalvia neogenica (Nuculacea-Unionacea). Catalogus Fossilium Austriae 1(1), xlvi- ii + 379 1 8 56 der Österreichischen Akademie der Wien pp., tab., figs., pls. Verlag Wissenschaften, (ISBN
3-7001-2982-3). Price € 149.
This weighty book (c. 2 kg!), vol. 23 in the well-known Austrian series Catalogus Fossilium Austriae, which
of all fossils record from that the of of literature publishes listings on country, presents outcome many years
So far, in series studies. volumes this had a complicated alphabetical/numerical numbering, originally
intended them in order. This is also the fact that to place a systematic now abandoned, triggered by sys-
tematics have in That, however, is the The format changed considerably recent years. not only change. now is a of and the A4, good quality mat printingpaper is used, type setting is modernised, body text (Helvetica)
in with and in bold. Photo included appears two columns, headings species names plates are now as well; no
fewer than 56 in the present volume.
For the author has been the Naturhistorisches Museum many years now, acurator at Wien, having access
all those and classic collections of described from Hoernes and Schaffer to important species Austria, e.g. the
Included is from collns. also material other, mainly Austrian, institutes; it therefore comes as no surprise that
numerous, ifnot most, ofthe illustrations in this volume are oftypes or Figured specimens. This alone makes
this volume a for Cainozoic molluscan worker. The is that all bivalves must every European plan Neogene
from present-day Austria are listed and discussed in three volumes. The present one, volume 1-1, considers
the Nuculacea and the Unionacea. down is based the Treatise up to including Taxonomy used, to genus, on
of Invertebrate Paleontology (1969, 1971). In the References (p. xiv), the 1969 volume is erroneously referred
‘Anonalodesmata’ and to as ‘Treatise on Vertebrate Paleontology’. Other printing errors are rare, e.g. (p. 1)
‘terrains teriaires’ (p. 95) caught my eye.
Contents short introductions iv, and dis- Following upon (p. iii), (pp. v), explanatory notes on synonyms
tribution (p. vi), surprisingly few acknowledgements (p. vi), a stratigraphical table (p. vii) and a list ofabbre-
viations is extensive list of references 1,800 refer- (p. viii), a very (pp. ix-xlviii), comprising c. titles, mainly
Central but also faunas from other basins. ring to Paratethys faunas, including important papers covering
since 1985 issue is The author seems to have missed the recent revised edition of ICZN rulings, only the list-
ed.
The substantial is these shows that not most portion (pp. 1-379) 'Systematik'. Flicking through pages soon
of discussed. only Neogenetaxa are listed; species Oligocene age are frequently
For each list of references is restricted on Austrian materi- species, a comprehensive given, not to papers
al. For for Anadara diluvii fewer than references instance, (Anadara) (Lamarck, 1805) no 258 are given; just
six of referred A. and ofthem refer illus- these, however, are to taxa not to as diluvii, many to papers lacking
trations. This, and the fact that the author has seen the original material ofonly four of the works referred
to (marked with V), illustrates the level of criticism with which these lists have been compiled.
In there often inclusive of locus and places, following upon synonyms, are notes on systematics, typicus
stratum typicum. For each (sub)species, stratigraphic and geographicdistribution in Austria and abroad, is
specified in detail.
For the notorious ofwhich German fellow 'Ich bedaure sehr daB Ostreacea, a group a curator once said,
die auch den Mollusken I the number of under zu gehören', was really impressed by synonyms listed, e.g.
the 'Ostreaceae indet.'. No fewer than 489 references here mention heading appear (pp. 304-308), including
Ostrea ofjust' sp.', and many vernacular names such as 'Auster, Ostreen, Austerbank, kleine Austerscherben',
etc., which indicates the great care with which the literature has been screened by the author.
The plates (b/w photographs) are of excellent quality, with specimens mainly illustrated at natural size.
than 29 there and No fewer plates are reserved for pectinids, amongst which are numerous type illustrated
specimens, also of species described by non-Austrian pectinid specialists such as Roger, and Depéret & 122 BASTERIA, Vol. 66, No. 4-6, 2002
in this which is rather than Roman. The author has refrained from designatinglectotypes book, a catalogue
lot of nomenclatorial decisions will a critical taxonomie revision. Yet, quite a had to be made, and these no
doubt influence future literature.
The book is in German, and like in nearly all German work, subdivisions of time-stratigraphic units such
and Most modern in as Miocene Oligocene, are referred to as 'Unter-Miozan' or 'Ober-Oligozan'. papers
have done with and and subdivisions bear the English away 'upper' 'lower', more appropriately prefïxes
is that will realise that the 'Unter- 'Early' and 'Late'. It to be hoped our German-speaking colleagues one day
The is Miozan' makes just as much sense as the 'Unteres Mittelalter', or Lower Middle Ages. volume not
lumbacked in 16 sections, with a weak cardboard Yet its is very solidly bound, page cover. despite this, price
considerable.
I like conclude this review admiration Dr for the of to by expressing my to Schultz, enormousquantity
dedicated work done and him in the volumes by him, by wishing courage finishing two remaining !
Arie+W. Janssen