I am very pleased to announce that the joint meeting of the AMS and the WSM will be held together at the University of Washington in Seattle . The meeting will begin with Council meetings during the afternoon of 29 July 2006 followed by the reception at the Burke Museum on the campus that evening. The meeting will end with field trips on 3 August 2006 . This is the time of year that we have the least chance of rain in Seattle and daytime temperatures may range from 20-300C. Evenings usually cool down below 150C so a light jacket is recommended.The meeting will include the usual spirited auction and four symposia/workshops, one on cephalopod behavior, one on chitons, one on opisthobranchs and one on non-marine mollusks.
AMS Symposium: “Cephalopods: a behavioral perspective.” Organized by Jennifer A. Mather, University of Lethbridge (mather@uleth.ca) Behavior is a neglected area in molluscan research, but one with both links to other areas of study and a challenging area in its own right. Behavior is especially central for the cephalopods, with their learning capacity, individual differences and variety of sensory abilities. This symposium will tap many different aspects of behavior, from learning to personality, from sensory function to social organization and opportunistic foraging. Listeners should come to appreciate the broad range of this approach and hopefully take away new ideas on techniques to use and questions to ask in their own research.
WSM/AMS Symposium: “Advances in Chiton Research.” Organized by Doug Eernisse (deernisse@fullerton.edu). Current plans for the symposium include the following: 1) A morning session devoted to presentations by invited speakers; 2) An afternoon session with contributed papers related to any aspect of research on chitons; 3) A special section of a poster session devoted to chitons; 4) A dinner following the symposium open to anyone with an interest in chitons. Please email or call me with other ideas you might have. There is a possibility that the contributions to our symposium will be published together in a single issue of the
American Malacological Bulletin, similar to the volume that was published in association with the 1987 AMU symposium organized by Bob Bullock on the "Biology of the Polyplacophora" in
Key West , Florida [
Amer. Malacol. Bull. 6(1), 1988]. This possibility is still being negotiated and I welcome your comments.
Contributed Workshop: Opisthobranchs: Comprehending Diversity. Organized by Sandra Millen (millen@zoology.ubc.ca). Much has changed in the last decade regarding our understanding of these eye- catching mollusks. They have become a favorite subject for underwater photography and in response to the continuous demand for identification; numerous web sites and books have sprung up to assist diving photographers. This in turn has increased our awareness of species ranges and unidentified species as well as adding to our knowledge of behavioral observations, food and spawning. Researchers are frantically trying to keep up the description of new species while at the same time applying molecular and cladistic tools to more
rigorously assess relationships.
Contributed Workshop: New Frontiers in Western US Non-marine Malacology. Organized by Terrence Frest Western US non-marine mollusks have long been recognized for their diversity and peculiarities of biogeography and distribution. Application of molecular methods and careful detailed study of several at the genus and species levels indicates that diversity estimates of Frest and Roth (1995) may have to be drastically revised up or down, depending upon genus. The first mtDNA phylogenies very recently have become available for some of the most prominent and characteristic western freshwater snails, slugs, and shelled terrestrial forms. Diversity at the species level has often been underestimated; but no single pattern or model can accommodate all western endemic forms.
Click here for registration form(doc file)
Auction and reprint sale: we will hold the usual spirited auction under the able direction of our own Paul Callomon and the WSM will hold a concurrent reprint sale. Proceeds of both go to our support for student members. Please bring any malacology books you wish to donate to the auction or other molluscan mementos. Remember, we don’t trade in actual mollusks or items made from shells. We have a notable contribution of hard-to-get books from a member who is retiring – I’ll send out a complete list separately. We also have a notable collection of cephalopod art objects donated and an unsigned(!) American Seashells, 2
nd ed.
Housing
University Inn - We have reserved 40 rooms until June 14
th. These are at the University Inn close to the University http://www.universityinnseattle.com/). The rate for a deluxe room is $115 a night with a $10 charge for each additional person. You must register directly with the University Inn at 1-800-733-3855. Be sure to include that this is for the "
Malacology Group." If there are any questions about the housing for the meeting, please contact Christina Wissink 206-632-5055 or at (
hotel.sales@universityinnseattle.com). Note that staying at the hotel includes complimentary continental breakfast and free parking and includes the usual amenities such as pool, spa, and cable TV.
University Dormitory Housing - Click here for registration and information.
Ground Transportation
If driving from the south on I-5, go through downtown Seattle to Exit 169. Take a right on N.E. 45th St and a right onto Roosevelt Way N.E. Go down several blocks to the University Inn if staying there. Go just past the University Inn and take a left onto Campus Parkway to the Terry/Lander Hall dorms.
If driving from the north on I-5, take exit 169 and turn left onto N.E. 45th St and continue several blocks and take a right onto Roosevelt and continue as above.
If flying into Seattle’s SeaTac Airport, claim your luggage and follow the signs to Ground Transportation where you can catch the 194 bus to downtown and get off at 4th and Pine Sts. It is $1.25 offpeak and $2.00 rush hour. Exact change is required. Be sure to get a transfer from the driver when you pay. Then catch a 71, 72, or 73 bus on 3rd Ave going north to the University District. Go across the University Bridge and get off immediately in front of the campus dorms. It is then about two blocks to the University Inn on Roosevelt Ave.
If taking the shuttle, you must follow the signs to Ground Transportation at the airport and check in at the Shuttle Express desk. You can get a shared-ride van that will take you door to door. The special discounted rate to the University Inn is $20/person with further discounts for additional people. The rate to the Terry/Lander dormitories is $22/person and again further discounts will apply for additional passengers. You can also get a limousine using Shuttle Express for a proportionately higher rate.
For further information please contact AMS and WSM president:
Dr. Roland C. Anderson
1483 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA 98101 USA
Ph: 206-386-4346
Roland.anderson@seattle.gov
