Invertebrate Paleontology Research Collection

About

The Invertebrate Paleontology Collection represents one of the oldest systematic invertebrate paleontological collections in North America with over 1 million specimens, including 10,000 type specimens. Strengths of the collection include a number of European collections from many historic localities, post-Cambrian trilobites, Paleozoic through Tertiary cephalopods, and Tertiary mollusks.

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Holdings

We have approximately 2 million specimens, including just over 10,000 type and figured specimens.

All Specimens

Total 1,062,544 as of 2003
Category Number of Specimens % of Specimens
Brachiopods
403,000
38.41
Pelecypods
160,000
15.25
Gastropods
76,000
7.24
Cephalopods
66,850
6.37
Paleozoic Stratigraphic
61,450
5.86
Trilobites
46,000
4.38
Kummel Collection
28,000
2.67
Crinoids
27,300
2.60
Paleozoic Antrozoans
23,800
2.27
Echinoids (Recent)
23,700
2.26
Miscellaneous
23,525
2.24
Bryozoans/Chaetetids
22,000
2.10
Gould Collection
22,000
2.10
Echinoids (Fossil)
11,810
1.13
Graptolites
11,250 slabs
1.07
Type Specimens
10,000
0.95
Ophiuroids (Recent)
8,712
0.83
Asteroids (Recent)
7,340
0.70
Misc. Arthropods
7,000
0.67
Post Paleozoic Antrozoans
4,500
0.43
Poriferans
3,450
0.33
Trace Fossils
2,100
0.20
Foraminifera
2,000 samples
0.19
Conularids
1,575
0.15
Scaphopods
1,450
0.14
Solnhofen
1,200
0.11
Burgess Shale
1,100
0.10
Stromatoporids
1,054
0.10
Recent Crinoids
1,000
0.10
Small Conical Shells
815
0.08
Archeocyatrids
800
0.08
Display Echinoderms
630
0.06
Receptaculitids
438
0.04
Hyolithids
400
0.04
Ophiuroids (Fossil)
170
0.02
Asteroids (Fossil)
135
0.01

Primary Type Specimens

Category Number
Holotypes
1380
Paratypes
1677
Syntypes
1062
Lectotypes
116
Paralectotypes
48
Neotypes
6
Figured/Voucher
6699

Secondary Type Specimens

Category Number
Hypotypes
4325
Figured
429
Mentioned
534
Measured
8
Topotypes
2
Cotypes
3

Plastotype Specimens

Category Number
Plastoholotypes
21
Plastoparatypes
3
Plastosyntypes
2
Plastohypotypes
15
Plastotypes
53

Trenton Group

The Trenton Group Overview highlights the respective collections of Charles Walcott and Tom Whiteley from the Trenton Falls area of New York, now reposited in the MCZ. This project examines the social history, geology, and paleontology of the area. The geologic setting and the sedimentary geology are addressed in detail, and the paleontology section includes descriptions and photographs of MCZ fossil specimens. The project website was initially created in 2004 and funded by an NSF grant to the MCZ Department of Invertebrate Paleontology.

Databasing

Databasing of the collection began in 1995 and remains an ongoing project. Approximately 194,000 records, including all type specimens, have been databased. Much of the specimen data was captured from old catalog ledgers, some which date back to the founding of the Museum of Comparative Zoology in 1859.

Upgrading taxonomy, specimen and stratigraphic data is a continuing effort. It is an integral part of the databasing process, allowing the most up-to-date specimen data to be captured. Since 2001, the department has worked with various professional paleontologists as consultants for this project. Thus far, information has been updated on the following collections:
  • Nautiloids
  • Paleozoic bivalves
  • Charles Walcott’s Collection from Walcott Rust Quarry in Central New York
  • Fisk Holbrook Day Collection of Silurian Reef material from Wisconsin and Illinois
  • Czech trilobites from the Jan Michal Schary Collection
  • Devonian brachiopods from Germany
  • Permian brachiopods from the Glass Mountains of West Texas