24 – Mollusca
289
a number of trematodes, including Austrobilharzia
terrigalensis, which is responsible for ‘swimmer’s itch’.
Nudibranchs have come to symbolise all the molluscs on the GBR because of their fragile bodies, bizarre
shapes, bright colours and remarkable behaviours.
Nowadays no diver can have a holiday on the GBR
without taking at least some digital images of nudibranchs. Photography is certainly a form of ‘collecting’,
albeit one that does not involve the removal of any live
animals themselves, though damage is inadvertently
caused to the reef by trampling, boat’s anchors and
incorrect weighting. In the past, shell collectors received
much criticism by outsiders for their activities. One hears
anecdotes of the ‘devastation’ caused by shell collectors
and one reads emotive passages like: ‘By their thoughtless depredation the whole productivity of that reef flat
and the natural habitat of thousands upon thousands of
its inhabitants can literally be ruined in a matter of hours’
Bennett (1986: 126). But such hysterical statements have
never been tested on the GBR. Humans have collected
molluscs for ages, for food, trade and decoration, and
detailed studies on population ecology have shown
many species are highly resilient to collecting. Responsible shell collectors only take a few individuals and never
remove immature specimens or females guarding eggs.
Furthermore, they are aware of the ecological consequences of not turning over dead coral slabs. It is the
shell collectors who have provided us scientists with the
specimens for our comparative studies and museum reference collections. In recognising shell collectors as the
least threatening of a host of (natural and unnatural)
processes that could affect the GBR—human trampling,
bottom trawling, commercial fishing, collection for consumption by Aboriginal and non-indigenous people,
eutrophication from land-derived nutrients, cyclones
and rising sea levels—the Great Barrier Reef Marine
Park Authority currently allows recreational collection
of molluscs on certain reefs on the GBR and along the
adjacent coast without a permit. This collecting is limited to five individuals of a species (i.e. a total that comprises living animals and/or their shells, but not more
than five of any species) to be taken in one day. For all
other purposes, a permit is required from GBRMPA (see
Chapter 12).
REFERENCES
Taxonomy of balers of the Cymbiola pulchra
species-group with hypotheses on their evolution
Bail, P., and Limpus, A. (1998). ‘Revision of Cymbiola (Cymbiolacca) from the East Australian coast
the ‘pulchra complex’.’ (Evolver Publications:
Rome.)
Detailed treatment of all mollusc families occurring
in Australia
Beesley, P. L., Ross, G. J. B., and Wells, A. E. (Eds) (1998).
‘Mollusca: The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia.
Vol. 5.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Species present in Australian waters with
geographical distributions
Gowlett-Holmes, K. (2001). Polyplacophora. In ‘Zoological Catalogue of Australia 17.2 Mollusca;
Aplacophora, Polyplacophora, Scaphopoda, Cephalopoda’. (Eds A. Wells and W. W. K. Houston.)
pp. 10–84. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Lamprell, K. L., and Healy, J. M. (1998). A revision of
the Scaphopoda from Australian waters. Records of
the Australian Museum Supplement 24, 1–189.
Lu, C. C. (2001). Cephalopoda. In ‘Zoological catalogue
of Australia 17.2 Mollusca; Aplacophora, Polyplacophora, Scaphopoda, Cephalopoda’. (Eds A.
Wells and W. W. K. Houston.) pp. 129–308. (CSIRO
Publishing: Melbourne.)
Detailed descriptions and illustrations of all the
species from Heron Island plus a listing of species
present on the GBR
Marshall, J. G., and Willan, R. C. (1999). ‘Nudibranchs
of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef: A Survey of the
Opisthobranchia (Sea Slugs) of Heron and Wistari
Reefs.’ (Backhuys Publishers: Leiden.)
Source of quotation
Bennett, I. (1986). The Great Barrier Reef. (Lansdown
Press: Dee Why West, NSW.)
289
a number of trematodes, including Austrobilharzia
terrigalensis, which is responsible for ‘swimmer’s itch’.
Nudibranchs have come to symbolise all the molluscs on the GBR because of their fragile bodies, bizarre
shapes, bright colours and remarkable behaviours.
Nowadays no diver can have a holiday on the GBR
without taking at least some digital images of nudibranchs. Photography is certainly a form of ‘collecting’,
albeit one that does not involve the removal of any live
animals themselves, though damage is inadvertently
caused to the reef by trampling, boat’s anchors and
incorrect weighting. In the past, shell collectors received
much criticism by outsiders for their activities. One hears
anecdotes of the ‘devastation’ caused by shell collectors
and one reads emotive passages like: ‘By their thoughtless depredation the whole productivity of that reef flat
and the natural habitat of thousands upon thousands of
its inhabitants can literally be ruined in a matter of hours’
Bennett (1986: 126). But such hysterical statements have
never been tested on the GBR. Humans have collected
molluscs for ages, for food, trade and decoration, and
detailed studies on population ecology have shown
many species are highly resilient to collecting. Responsible shell collectors only take a few individuals and never
remove immature specimens or females guarding eggs.
Furthermore, they are aware of the ecological consequences of not turning over dead coral slabs. It is the
shell collectors who have provided us scientists with the
specimens for our comparative studies and museum reference collections. In recognising shell collectors as the
least threatening of a host of (natural and unnatural)
processes that could affect the GBR—human trampling,
bottom trawling, commercial fishing, collection for consumption by Aboriginal and non-indigenous people,
eutrophication from land-derived nutrients, cyclones
and rising sea levels—the Great Barrier Reef Marine
Park Authority currently allows recreational collection
of molluscs on certain reefs on the GBR and along the
adjacent coast without a permit. This collecting is limited to five individuals of a species (i.e. a total that comprises living animals and/or their shells, but not more
than five of any species) to be taken in one day. For all
other purposes, a permit is required from GBRMPA (see
Chapter 12).
REFERENCES
Taxonomy of balers of the Cymbiola pulchra
species-group with hypotheses on their evolution
Bail, P., and Limpus, A. (1998). ‘Revision of Cymbiola (Cymbiolacca) from the East Australian coast
the ‘pulchra complex’.’ (Evolver Publications:
Rome.)
Detailed treatment of all mollusc families occurring
in Australia
Beesley, P. L., Ross, G. J. B., and Wells, A. E. (Eds) (1998).
‘Mollusca: The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia.
Vol. 5.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Species present in Australian waters with
geographical distributions
Gowlett-Holmes, K. (2001). Polyplacophora. In ‘Zoological Catalogue of Australia 17.2 Mollusca;
Aplacophora, Polyplacophora, Scaphopoda, Cephalopoda’. (Eds A. Wells and W. W. K. Houston.)
pp. 10–84. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Lamprell, K. L., and Healy, J. M. (1998). A revision of
the Scaphopoda from Australian waters. Records of
the Australian Museum Supplement 24, 1–189.
Lu, C. C. (2001). Cephalopoda. In ‘Zoological catalogue
of Australia 17.2 Mollusca; Aplacophora, Polyplacophora, Scaphopoda, Cephalopoda’. (Eds A.
Wells and W. W. K. Houston.) pp. 129–308. (CSIRO
Publishing: Melbourne.)
Detailed descriptions and illustrations of all the
species from Heron Island plus a listing of species
present on the GBR
Marshall, J. G., and Willan, R. C. (1999). ‘Nudibranchs
of Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef: A Survey of the
Opisthobranchia (Sea Slugs) of Heron and Wistari
Reefs.’ (Backhuys Publishers: Leiden.)
Source of quotation
Bennett, I. (1986). The Great Barrier Reef. (Lansdown
Press: Dee Why West, NSW.)