Since H.A. Pilsbry's classic work on the chitons (Polyplacophora),published between 1892 and 1894 in the Manual of Conchology, there hasbeen no comprehensive taxonomic review of this group.
Piet Kaas and Richard van Belle changed this when they started the bookseries Monograph of Living Chitons, which aimed, after a careful studyof the type material, to systematically describe and illustrate everyknown - or hitherto unknown - species. The first five volumes werepublished between 1985 and 1994. The sudden death of seniour author PietKaas in 1996 postponed the publication of Volume 6. The unfinishedmanuscript was taken up by a new author, Hermann Strack, who incollaboration with van Belle managed to finish it.
In Volume 6 no less than 167 species are treated and depicted, of which3 are described as new. Two important families are covered: theSchizochitonidae and the Chitonidae. Especially the coverage of theChitonidae, with well know and species-rich genera and subgenera asChiton, Rhyssoplax, Acanthopleura, Tonicia, Lucilina and Onithochiton islong awaited and will prove very useful to researchers, students andcollectors alike.
2005; c. 400 pages ISBN 90-04-11578-1 Price (all prices are subject to change without notice): EUR 109/US$ 156
