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This paper is the first comprehensive and illustrated account of living Polyplacophora from the Maldive Islands. The only important previous contribution is that of E.A. Smith (1903), describing eight species. We determined 15 species sourced from 24 sampling sites, mainly at a depth of 20–40 meters, represented by 19 living specimens and 1112 valves. Only nine species (Parachiton hylkiae mauricejayi, Ischnochiton albinus, Ischnochiton sp., Rhyssoplax maldivensis, Tegulaplax hululensis, Lucilina sp., Acanthochitona penicillata, Craspedochiton cf. laqueatus, Cryptoplax burrowi) are represented by living specimens, the others by separate valves (Callochiton clausadeae, Lucilina perligera, L. carnosa, Acanthochitona sp., Craspedochiton sp., Cryptoplax sykesi), three of them (Lucilina perligera, Acanthochitona sp., Craspedochiton sp.) by only one or two valves. We did not find four of the species previously reported for the Maldives, i.e. Ischnochiton feliduensis, Callochiton platessa, Squamopleura miles and Schizochiton incisus. The specimen collected by J.S. Gardiner, and reported in Smith (1903) as Callochiton platessa Gould, has been studied, and it is not possible to attribute to any of the other Callochiton species from the Indian Ocean. It thus remains undetermined as Callochiton sp., and Callochiton platessa Gould must be deleted from the list of chiton species living in the Maldive Islands. The holotype of Ischnochiton feliduensis (the only specimen known) is illustrated to provide a complete and exhaustive survey of all the 19 chiton species now known from the Maldive Islands. Two species from other localities, Squamopleura miles and Schizochiton incisus, also are illustrated. The type material of Craspedochiton laqueatus and Cryptoplax burrowi has been examined. Eleven species are reported for the first time for the Maldives: Parachiton hylkiae mauricejayi, Ischnochiton albinus, Ischnochiton sp., Callochiton clausadeae, Lucilina perligera, L. carnosa, Lucilina sp., Acanthochitona penicillata, Acanthochitona sp., Craspedochiton sp. and Cryptoplax sykesi.

Thyroid adenoma is commonly associated with surgery and radiometabolic treatment; recently, according to previous successful reports, percutaneous ethanol injection therapy under sonographic guidance, has been introduced as an alternative. This technique has already been favourably used in the treatment of focal lesions, such as liver cancer and hyperparathyroidism. In our experience, we have treated with such therapy 69 patients affected by thyroid adenoma (55 females, 14 males; 28 pretoxic, 41 toxic). Ethanol (0.5-2.8 mL/mL nodular tissue) was injected, under sonographic guidance, in 4-9 sessions (1 weekly). Thyroid hormone profile was assessed during treatment and at 3 and 6 months follow-up. Apart from local transient pain in 21% sessions, two cases of pyrexia (38.5 degrees-1 day) and 3 cases of transient dysphonia, no relevant adverse effects were observed. A slight thyroid hormone increase was seen in both groups immediately following treatment. Six months after therapy a biochemical and clinical remission of hyperthyroidism was observed in 33 out of 41 toxic patients (80%); a significant increase of TSH levels was seen in both groups (p0.001). With follow-up, significant volume shrinkage (70-80% volume reduction--p0.0001) as well as structural alterations of the nodule, were consistently recorded at sonography, in both groups; a linear relationship (p0.0001) between pretreatment volume and volume reduction was found. At scintiscan functional activity of extranodular parenchyma was found in 75% of patients affected by pretoxic adenoma and in 63.1% of patients with toxic adenoma. These data confirm that percutaneous ethanol injection therapy is effective in obtaining functional ablation and in inducing remission of hyperthyroidism, when present; so it represents a valid and safe alternative to standard therapeutic tools of thyroid adenoma.