Malacology – the subdiscipline of invertebrate zoology that focuses on mollusks. Within this subdiscipline there are three major taxonomic subdisciplines:
- Conchology – the study & collection of mollusk shells
- Limacology – the study of gastropods
- Teuthology – the study of cephalopods
Mollusks are any invertebrate animal under the phylum Mollusca. They have soft, unsegmented bodies that often are protected by a hard calcium carbonate shell.
Main Categories of Mollusks
Gastropods – Snails, slugs, & sea slugs
Bivalves – Clams, oysters, mussels, & scallops
Cephalopods – Octopuses, squids, cuttlefish