Phylogenetics and Ecology of Molluscs

Dear Colleagues,

Molluscs are amongst the most diverse animal phyla, exhibiting both a variety of body plans, ecological relationships and adaptations and a huge span of species size. They live as sessile, semi-sessile and pelagic forms, inhabiting a wide variety of habitats. Most of these species are marine, and many of them have significant commercial value. Their fossil records have been present since the metazoan Cambrian explosion. However, due to a relatively low fossil variety, most contemporary molluscan phylogeny is based on comparative anatomy and development, and molecular data. Although molluscs, as a phylum, are well adapted to a wide span of ecological conditions, recent decades have posed some great ecological changes and challenges, whose variability is imposing a strong natural selection and potential extinction of some taxa, over a much slower evolutionary specialization and adaptation to changing conditions. Those ecological challenges are being driven by both natural as well as anthropogenic causes ranging from local pollution and overfishing, through pathogen-induced mass mortality events, to global warming and ocean acidification. As a result, we witness many changes in marine environments that needing to be monitored, documented and scientifically discussed. Diversity has recognized the problem and given this research project the opportunity to compose a collection of papers on the topic of “Phylogenetics and Ecology of Molluscs” and publish it at a discounted rate in a Special Issue, thus increasing its visibility even beyond the standard open-access scheme. Colleagues who recognise their research topics within this summary are cordially invited to contribute their manuscripts.

Dr. Mauro Štifanić
Dr. Vedrana Nerlović
Prof. Dr. Vlasta Ćosović
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.