| Conchas e Moluscos de Angola
Coquillages et Mollusques d'Angola
by S. Gofas, J. Pinto Afonso & M. Brandao
no date, published by Universidade Agostinho Neto/Elf Aquitaine Angola, in Portugese & French, hard cover with dust jacket, 139 pages + index, 8½ by 11 inches, (21.5 by 27.5 cm) 52 plates, color, black and white and drawings
This is an elaborate publication that represents the only book that I am aware of covering the shells from Angola's coastline along the Eastern Atlantic. This book appeared quite a number of years ago (1980's 90's?) and it seems that it was only available for a short time probably because of a limited print run. I was delighted to come across a few brands new copies that I can offer now. The book is a disappointment in a way since it illustrates only a limited number of species, many of them the same shells that can be found in other books that cover the Eastern Atlantic. There is a faunal list as an appendix that lists a greater number of species found in Angola. The photographic illustrations in this book are of top quality and the drawings are also well done. My only real complaint is that I wish it offered more coverage especially of the very rich and varied Conidae that come from these waters.I am going to guess that most of the money for the publication of this book came from the French Oil Company, Elf Aquitane much the same way that the Shell Oil Company funds shell publications from time to time and that would in and of itself account for the somewhat limited scope of the book. Shell literature from this part of W. Africa is almost non-existent and this is a book that collectors should welcome into their library. |
