Micro-gastropods include many taxa not yet systematised within Phylum Mollusca and most studies on malacology have focused on large properties to date. In part, this is due to the specific techniques of the collection, the difficulty of ordering its small size and, of course, the taxonomic complexity. The objective of the project is to establish a baseline for future studies in the field of malacology and thus encourage the research of a group that, despite presenting so many difficulties, promises to be one of the most diverse and abundant marine and coastal communities. Samples were collected in previous research by Fredston-Hermann, et al. and Cramer et al. through coral cores and sediment bundles in different parts between 3 and 5 m deep. The photographs of the collection were made with a Sony Alpha 6300 camera, mounted on a Leica brand stereoscope. With the help of Adobe Photoshop, the photos were processed through the technique of "stacking photos" to create the illustrations. A total of 300 samples are part of the collection, identifying 39 species, 77 genera and 47 families. The high number of species presented in the collection and the variety of ecosystems where they live demonstrate that the Bocas del Toro Archipelago is an essential habitat for these organisms. Apart from these characteristics, their good preservation and the high abundance found in this region, both in recent samples and in the fossil record, suggest that some taxa may be good indicators of environmental changes and therefore more research should be devel- oped in this field

Molluscan Forum, 16t November 2023, London

Peer reviewed