Alan Solem, full name George Alan Solem (21 June 1931 – 26. March 1990) was an American malacologist

Malacology

Malacology is the branch of invertebrate zoology which deals with the study of the Mollusca , the second-largest phylum of animals in terms of described species after the arthropods. Mollusks include snails and slugs, clams, octopus and squid, and numerous other kinds, many of which have shells...

, a biologist

Biologist

A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...

 who studied mollusks.

He was one of the most renown land snail experts of his time and had earned a reputation for his comprehensive revisions of mainly terrestrial pulmonates. He worked on land snails from all regions of the world but became particularly known for his revisions of land snails from Australasia

Australasia

Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...

 and various Pacific Islands.

He named a large number of taxa, amongst them about 350 species of Australian land snails, and several genera.
Some species named by him are:

• Hadra wilsoni
  Hadra wilsoni
  Hadra wilsoni is a species of air-breathing land snail, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae. This species is endemic to Australia....
  
   Solem, 1979 - a species of [Western Australia]]n land snail
  Land snail
  A land snail is any of the many species of snail that live on land, as opposed to those that live in salt water and fresh water. Land snails are terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells, It is not always an easy matter to say which species are terrestrial, because some are more or less...
  
  
• Glyptorhagada janaslini
  Glyptorhagada janaslini
  Glyptorhagada janaslini is a species of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae. This species is endemic to Australia.-References:* Smith, B. 1996. . Downloaded on 7 August 2007....
  
   Solem, 1992 - a species of land snail

Taxa described by Solem

• Aslintesta Solem,1992
• Caperantrum Solem,1997
• Carinotrachia
  Carinotrachia
  Carinotrachia is a genus of medium-sized air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropods in the family Camaenidae.-Species:Species within the genus Carinotrachia include:* Carinotrachia admirale Köhler, 2010...
  
   Solem,1985
• Cooperconcha
  Cooperconcha
  Cooperconcha is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae.-Species:Species within the genus Cooperconcha include:* Cooperconcha centralis* Cooperconcha bunyerooana...
  
   Solem,1992
• Cristilabrum
  Cristilabrum
  Cristilabrum is a genus of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Camaenidae.- Species :This genus contains the following species:* Cristilabrum bubulum* Cristilabrum buryillum...
  
   Solem,1981
• Falspleuroxia Solem,1997
• Kendrickia Solem,1985
• Melostrachia Solem,1979
• Mesodontrachia
  Mesodontrachia
  Mesodontrachia is a genus of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Camaenidae.- Species :Species within the genus Mesodontrachia include:* Mesodontrachia desmonda* Mesodontrachia fitzroyana...
  
   Solem,1985
• Micromelon Solem,1992
• Minimelon Solem,1993
• Montanomelon Solem,1993
• Mouldingia
  Mouldingia
  Mouldingia is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae.- Species :Species within the genus Mouldingia include:* Mouldingia occidentalis* Mouldingia orientalis-References:...
  
   Solem,1984
• Ningbingia
  Ningbingia
  Ningbingia is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae.- Species :Species within the genus Ningbingia include:* Ningbingia australis* Ningbingia bulla...
  
   Solem,1981
• Ordtrachia
  Ordtrachia
  Ordtrachia is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae.-Species:Species within the genus Ordtrachia include:* Ordtrachia australis* Ordtrachia elegans...
  
   Solem,1984
• Promonturconchum Solem,1997
• Prototrachia
  Prototrachia
  Prototrachia is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae.It contains the following species:* Prototrachia sedula...
  
   Solem,1984
• Prymnbriareus
  Prymnbriareus
  Prymnbriareus is a genus of air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Camaenidae.It contains the following species:* Prymnbriareus nimberlinus...
  
   Solem,1981
• Pseudcupedora Solem,1992
• Retroterra Solem,1985
• Strepsitaurus Solem,1997
• Tatemelon Solem,1993
• Turgenitubulus
  Turgenitubulus
  Turgenitubulus is a genus of gastropod in the Camaenidae family.It contains the following species:* Turgenitubulus aslini* Turgenitubulus costus* Turgenitubulus depressus* Turgenitubulus foramenus* Turgenitubulus opiranus...
  
   Solem,1981

Further reading

(chronologically)

• Williams P. (1978). "Solem and snails". Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin 49(10): 16-19.
• Backhuys W. (1990). "Obituary: Alan George [sic] Solem (1931–1990)". The Papustyla, Manus Landsnail Society, April 1990: 1.
• Ponder W. F.
  Winston Ponder
  Winston F. Ponder B.Sc, M.Sc, Ph.D, D.Sc. is a noted malacologist from New Zealand who has named and described many marine animals, especially micromolluscs. He is a graduate of the University of Auckland, New Zealand....
  
   & Stanisic J. (1990). "Obituary – G. Alan Solem". Journal of the Malacological Society of Australia 11: 1-7.
• Raeihle D. (1990). "George Alan Solem". New York Shell Club Notes 315: 2-3.
• Scheu L. & Goldberg R. L. (1990). "Alan Solem and the shell makers". American Conchologist September 1990: 9-11.
• Wenzel R. L. (1990). "G. Alan Solem, 1931- 1990". Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin 61(3): 8-10.
• Colman P. (1990). "Vale Alan Solem 21 July 1931 – 27 February 1990". Australian Shell News 70: 5.
• Girardi E.-L. (1991). "A bibliography and brief biography of G. Alan Solem 1931- 1990". The Veliger 34(4): 317-323
• Wells F. (1996). "Alan Solem honoured". Australian Shell News 93: 3.

External links

• works by Alan Solem at Internet Archive
  Internet Archive
  The Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
  
  
• List of Australian land snails at Australian Faunal Directory