Molluscs are the third largest animal group in biodiversity (number of species).
They are important as food, agricultural pests, bioindicators, vectors of parasites of medical and veterinary importance, valuable member of ecological piramids, quarentenary pests, folklore, handycrafts, and others.
However, the 21st century began with a pitifully small number of biologists working in their study (malacology) and with many collections closed (for example the Malacology Department of INBio was closed down in 2004) or abandoned.
Julian Monge - Nájera / State Distance Education University (UNED), Costa Rica /
