This book is designed for wide range readers such as for a layman it will be helpful as a pictorial guide, a popular science book for the students, text book for the undergraduate and postgraduate students, research documentation for the researchers and a valuable document for the scientists.  Since, there is a large scale of morphological diversities exists between the different families of bivalves and gastropods and proper identification of all these species becomes a menace for the researchers, students and even to a common man.  Therefore, this book will help to fill the missing link. This book is the reality of a dream viewed by a child while moving in a beach and now as an author begs to the almighty that it may get a splendid success.  Since similar kind of publications are scarce in the contemporary literature based on identification and distribution of mollusca, certainly this book will be the milestone towards the molluscan research.

Dr. Debasish Mahapatro, M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D. in Marine Biology is presently working as a Research Fellow in ICZM Project implemented in Chilika Lake by Ministry of Forest and Environment, Government of Odisha. Besides this, he is also performed his deliberation through lectures as invited guest faculty and/or visiting professor (honorary) in different colleges and universities within his own state (Odisha) and outside. He started his carrier as a research scholar working on sea turtle monitoring project. Later, he joined in Wetland Research and Training Centre of Chilika Development Authority, Badkul, Khordha where he pursued his Ph.D. degree on “Studies on Macrobenthos Community of Chilika Lake”. He has vast experience on different aspects of marine biology such as estuarine ecology, mangrove ecology, sea grass ecology, on sea turtles, on migratory birds, bottom dwelling fishes, shellfishes, dolphins in general and Benthic Invertebrate Communities in particular. He has published many research papers in national and international journals. Dr. Mahapatro has also been participated in many of the training programs, seminars / workshops of national and international importance. He obtained more than 12 years of research experience and 5 years of teaching experience to undergraduate and graduate students. In addition to his normal duties and responsibilities, presently Dr. Debasish is involved in training and capacity building of different fishermen society and students living in and around Chilika Lake. He is the permanent life member of Mangrove Society of India.

Dr. Surendra S. Kadam, M.Sc,Ph.D., working as an Assistant Professor in Zoology at N. B. Mehta Science College, Bordi, Dist.-Palghar, Maharashtra. He has completed Ph.D. degree in marine Sciences on “Ecological studies on plankton from Dandi creek-west coast of India” from Mumbai University. His research area is ecology of marine phytoplankton & zooplankton, benthic fauna ,water quality and microbiology of sources of drinking water etc. He has 14 yrs. research and 20 yrs. teaching experience. He has published 12 research papers in National, International journals & conference proceeding books. He also presented research papers in national and international conferences across India. He has completed 3 minor research project funded by University Grants Commission, western regional office, Pune and Mumbai University. He is the life member of Mangrove Society of India, Society of Biological Chemist and Indian Science Congress Association.