William Keith Emerson

William Keith Emerson (May 1, 1925 – October 19, 2016), usually known as Bill Emerson, was an American malacologist, a biologist who studied mollusks. He was a Curator Emeritus at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City where he had been a curator since 1955. He was also Chairman of the Department of Living Invertebrates and head of the Malacology section for several decades.

Emerson has written numerous scientific publications and several popular shell books including:

• The American Museum of Natural History Guide to Shells: Land, Freshwater, and Marine from Nova Scotia to Florida by William K. Emerson and Morris K. Jacobson, 1976, Alfred A. Knopf
• Shells by William K. Emerson, Andreas Feininger, Hardcover, Thames and Hudson, ISBN 0-500-54008-X (0-500-54008-X)
• Shells from Cape Cod to Cape May: With Special Reference to the New York City Area by Morris K. Jacobson, William K. Emerson, Softcover, Dover Pubns, ISBN 0-486-25419-4 (0-486-25419-4)
• Wonders of Barnacles by William K. Emerson, Arnold Ross, Hardcover, Dodd, Mead, ISBN 0-396-06971-1 (0-396-06971-1)
• Wonders of the World of Shells: Sea, Land, and Fresh-Water by Morris K. Jacobson, William K. Emerson, Hardcover, Dodd, Mead, ISBN 0-396-06326-8 (0-396-06326-8)