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.