Miscellaneous News about Gastropods, from the Earliest Printed Images to the Present Day

Abstract

Gastropods are the only mollusks distributed in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. They are mostly benthic marine animals living in close contact with the seabed, even if pelagic, sedentary, or parasitic species are also present. Their presence has been ascertained since the Paleozoic, but those that have stratigraphic importance are relatively few, for example, the group of Nerinea for the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous. A general indication on their classification and stratigraphic distribution is given. In Encelius (De re metallica: hoc est, de origine varietate, & natura corporum metallicorum, lapidum, gemmarum, atque aliarum, quae ex fodinis eruuntur, rerum, ad medicinae deservientium, [...]. Franc. [Frankfurt]: apud Chr. Egenolphum, [15--]. ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Rar 2259, p 229. https://doi.org/10.3931/e-rara-29357 / Public Domain Mark, 1551), there is what is generally interpreted as the first fossil gastropod represented in printed books, probably an internal model of a Turritella specimen. Another shell, frequently depicted in early printed texts, fossil, or otherwise, is that of the turbinid Bolma rugosa. Its importance besides the undoubted beauty, expressed, even more if polished, is due to the fact that it produces a calcareous operculum called Occhio di Santa Lucia, a powerful anti-evil eye. Its use in protective amulets is known from the early Iron Age to the present day. Numerous examples of these apotropaic objects are present in the collection of amulets belonging to Giuseppe Bellucci, in Perugia. They are brought back moreover news about the so-called Odorous Nails, horny opercula of gastropods, burnt-like perfumed substances, similar to the incense. Other curiosities are included at the end of the text, about the shells of Janthina, pelagic gastropod in commensal relationship with the hydrozoan Velella velella Linnæus, 1758, popularly known as St. Peter’s boat.