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Te Papa Te Taiao Nature Series: Native Shells of Aotearoa

A handy introduction to the unique shells of Aotearoa New Zealand, for the backyard, bach and backpack.

By Bruce Marshall and Kerry Walton

Publication: November 2023
Extent: 136 pages
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 978-1-99-116553-4

RRP: $27

Buy Native Shells of Aotearoa:

Part of the Te Papa Te Taiao Nature Series, this accessible introduction to a range of the aquatic and terrestrial shell-bearing molluscs encountered in Aotearoa New Zealand is written by two experts from our national museum, Te Papa.

It features over 160 species, from chitons and mussels to snails and limpets and also offers insights into the museum’s fieldwork and collections. The book is charmingly illustrated with digital reproductions from photographs of Te Papa’s vast collection of specimens.

Each book in this lightweight, hardback series – designed by award-winning designer Tim Denee – has a crisp look and feel, ideal for pocketing for tramps, or for using at home.

About the authors

Bruce Marshall is a malacologist (shell expert) who has worked at Te Papa, and the previous National Museum, since 1976. As collection manager of molluscs, Bruce is responsible for several million specimens representing more than 4,700 Aotearoa New Zealand species.

Kerry Walton is Curator Invertebrates at Te Papa and PhD candidate in the Department of Zoology, University of Otago. His research focuses on understanding the distributions of mollusc species, how these species differ, and how their differences came to be through evolution and dispersal.

Publication: November 2023
Extent: 136 pages
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 978-1-99-116553-4

RRP: $27
Buy Native Shells of Aotearoa