Arthur Erskine Ellis (1 October 1902 – 28 February 1983), often known as A.E. Ellis, was a British scientist, biologist and naturalist. Ellis is best known for his large number of malacological publications, including some which became essential texts on the subject of British non-marine malacology. To a lesser extent, Ellis published papers about other land invertebrates and various aspects of the fauna and flora of Britain. In addition Ellis had five ghost stories published.
Ellis was also a plant collector. From 1919-1961 he contributed specimens of spermatophytes to a number of different herbariums in Britain.
Stella Turk, the British naturalist said about Ellis, "It is difficult to categorise people. Should one even try? We are all multiple in a singular way!"; she also commented, "As might have been expected, he wrote his own obituary in which he gives a broad outline of his life and very lengthy bibliography, (J. Conch. 31 1983).
Two taxa were named in Ellis' honor:
Limicolariopsis ellisi Crowley & Pain, 1964 (Rev. Zool. Bot, Afr. 69: 191) -- a large African land snailPisidium (Afropisidium) ellisi Dance, 1967 (J. Conch. 26: 178) -- a small freshwater clamA.E. Ellis published several books which were the standard reference texts for identifying the non-marine Mollusca of Great Britain and Ireland during most of the 20th century:
British Snails, a guide to the non-marine Gastropoda of Great Britain and Ireland, Pleistocene to Recent, 1929, reprinted in 1969, Oxford University PressKey to Land Shells of Great BritainBritish Freshwater Bivalve Mollusca (Synopses of the British fauna; new series, number 11)Publications on non-marine mollusca and obituaries of conchologists:
JC =
Journal of Conchology. PMS = Proceedings of the Malacological Society (London)
1924 Mollusca of Flamborough. JC 17: 149–1531924 Notes on some British Helicidae, JC 17: 162–1671924 Land Mollusca on the Mewstone, JC 17: 187–1881924 Mollusca in the neighbourhood of Market Harborough, JC 17: 188–192, 212–219; 18:81925 Experimental acclimatisation of Sabinea ulvae (Pennant) to freshwater, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 15: 96–71925 The invalidity of Sabinea Sowerby. ibid. 16: 48–491926 Planorbis (Gyraulus) acronicus Férussac at Oxford. JC 18: 52–531926 British Snails. Clarendon Press (2nd edition, 1969).1926 Helix draparnaudi Sheppard, and Planorbis draparnaldi Jeffreys. JC 18: 541926 Notes on some land Molluscs from Land’s End. PMS 17: 123–61927 Variation in Trichia liberta (Westerlund).JC 18: 1181927 Additional notes on the Molluscs of the Oxford district. JC 18: 137–81927 An abnormality in Lymnaea stagnalis (Linn.).JC 18: 1391927 The snail as a zoological type, School Science Review No. 34: 102–1101928 Vertigo moulinsiana (Dupuy) near Norwich. JC 18: 2081928 Planorbis vorticulus Troschel in West Sussex. PMS 18: 1271929 A garden fauna. JC 18: 3121930 Mollusca on Gateholm. JC 19: 611931 A reclaimed saltmarsh. PMS 19: 278–91931 Molluscs of Wicken Fen [note]. JC 19: 1701931 Notes on some Norfolk Molluscs. JC 19: 177–81931 (with D. Aubertin & G. C. Robson) The natural history and variation of the Pointed Snail, Cochlicella acuta (Müll.). Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. for 1930: 1027–1055, pl. 11932 The habitats of Hydrobiidae in the Adur estuary. PMS 20: 11–181932 Further localities for Planorbis vorticulus Troschel. JC 19: 258–91939 A Surrey Bronze Age interment. JC 21: 901939 A discussion on the variation of Lymnaea, etc. PMS 23: 3131940 The identification of the British species of Pisidium. PMS 24: 44–88, pl. 3–61940 Some Devon land snails. JC 21: 1901941 The Mollusca of a Norfolk broad (presidential address). JC 21: 224–2431941 Ecological notes. JC 21: 258–91941 Anodonta minima Millet in Norfolk. JC 21: 2801942 Milax gracilis (Leydig) in woodland. JC 21: 325–61945 Limax flavus L. in a ‘wild’ habitat. JC 22: 1351946 Milax sowerbyi (Fér.) in woodland. JC 22: 1771946 On Potomida Swainson. PMS 27: 105–8, pl. 71946 Freshwater bivalves (Mollusca). Corbicula, Sphaerium, Dreissena. Linn. Soc. Synopses of the British Fauna, No. 41947 Freshwater bivalves (Mollusca): Unionacea. ibid. No. 51947 Retinella nitidula (Drap.) monstr. sinistrorsum. JC 22: 2711947 Dimensions of Anodonta minima Millet. JC 22: 2711948 The survey of Bookham Common. Land Mollusca of Bookham Common. London Naturalist for 1947: 56–591949 A Broadland slug [Agriolimax agrestis L.] Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Nature Society. 16: 3881950 Succinea putris (L.) parasitized by Leucochloridium. JC 23: 1071950 The type species of Testacella. JC 23: 1151951 R. Winckworth, obituary. JC 23: 157–621954 Volvulus Oken. JC 23: 3941959 E. W. Swanton, obituary. JC 24: 3261961 Land and freshwater Mollusca in Norwich and its region, p. 73. British Association. Jarrold, Norwich1961 H. H. Bloomer, obituary. Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. 172nd session: part 1.1962 British freshwater bivalve Molluscs. Linn. Soc. Synopses of British fauna, No. 131964 L. W. Grensted, obituary. JC 25: 291–3, pl. 201964 Arion lusitanicus Mabille in Cornwall. JC 25: 285–2871964 Milax budapestensis (Hazay) in woodland. JC 25: 2981965 Arion lusitanicus Mabille in Devon. JC 25: 345–3471967 Agriolimax agrestis (L.): some observations. JC 25: 345–71978 British freshwater bivalve Molluscs, Linn. Soc. Synopses of British Fauna (New Series) No. 11Conchological Society; Papers for Students
No. 3 (1964). Key to land shells of Great Britain.No. 3 (2nd edition, 1974). Key to the land snails of the British Isles.No. 12 (1969). Key to British slugsPublications in the Conchologists' Newsletter:
1961 Land and freshwater snails, additions to the British list, 3:12–131962 Biographical note, 4:161964 Some etymology, 9:50–511964 Sinistrosity, 9:53–541964 Snails extinct in England, but living abroad, 11:68–691964 Posting living molluscs, 11:68–691966 (with Stella Turk), Cornish localities for Arion lusitanicus 16:1081967 Conkers and conchology, 20:138–1391967 Nesovitrea hammonis and N. petronella, 21:61967 Unorthodox orthography, 22:15–161967 Poems on Conchology, 22:24–251968 Arion lusitanicus in Ireland, 25:40–411968 Metamerism, 25:471968 Pronunciation, 27:65–661969 Snail-eating dragons, 31:13 1221970 Slugs and the poets, 35:185–1861971 Names of British marine molluscs, 37:205–2061971 Slugs and the poets, 39:233–2341972 Blueprint for peace, 43:2891972 Such numbers of snails, 43:2891973 Who is Brittannia? What is She? 4.44:3021973 Perils of the deep, 44:3101973 Footnote to, Who is Britannia, 44:3131973 An Old English Riddle, 45:316–3171973 Hooper’s hypothesis, 45:3231973 Biographical and historical footnotes, 45:3231973 Cochlea liberum, the snail in old nursery rhymes, 47:346–3481974 Paradise lost? 49:3731974 First record of Arion lusitanicus in Ireland, 49:3841974 Review, From the diary of a snail, Günter Grass, 50:393–3941974 First record of Arion lusitanicus in Ireland, 50:3951974 Excelsior: the snail ascending, 51:398–3991975 Place names with a molluscan flavour, 52:412–4141975 Why collect shells? 53:434–4351975 Pestalozzian conchology, a note, 54:449–4501975 Shells as musical instruments, 55:460–4611975 The snail in 19th century verse, 55:464–4661975 Pestalozzian conchology, 55:4691976 L’escargot, 58:519-5201976 Molluscan place names: supplement, 58:520–5211976 Correction to an Old English Riddle, 58:5211977 Shells murmurs, 71:189-190. 62:33–341977 The mollusc in fables, 63:44–461978 Shakespeare and sea shells, 67:105–1061979 Adventure of a snail hunter, 69:153–1541979 Poem on the limpet, 71:182–1831979 Snails and slugs in Shakespeare, 71:189–1901981 Cassel’s Natural History, 76:309–310.1982 Celebrities in shells, 81:91982 Concerning Captain Thomas Brown, 82:35–361982 Sue Wells, international trade in ornamental shells, 83:56