'Kogkhulion' (Greek for 'Conch') is a photographic reference to rare, unusual, and beautiful molluscs using specimens from the collection of Dr. Chong Chen, combining his passion in malacology and photography. Each specimen is photographed from four different angles, and presented with a narrative detailing the morphology, ecology, and distribution, among other interesting facts and stories associated with the species. It is updated continually on a weekly basis.

Chen is a biologist mainly working on deep-sea environments, focusing on the biodiversity, ecology, and evolution of invertebrate animals, especially molluscs (snails, clams, chitons, octopuses, etc.). A taxonomist of gastropod molluscs, he has described over 50 taxa including the iron-infused Scaly-foot Snail Chrysomallon squamiferum. Chen is currently a Research Scientist with Tenure at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), a Japanese national research institute. Until now, he has participated in over 30 research expeditions, often diving to >6,000 m deep with manned submersibles or remotely operated vehicles to explore hot vents, cold seeps, and other deep-sea habitats.

Chen's interests in molluscs started at the age of 10, when he was struck by the morphology and adaptation of the Venus’ Comb Murex, Murex pecten. Since then he has become an avid collector of molluscan specimens (‘shell collector’), and currently his collection comprises over 6,000 species from all around the world. His collection largely focuses on marine species of all classes and families, although some unusual terrestrial and freshwater taxa are also included.

For more information, please visit Chen’s personal website: https://squamiferum.net/