World Congress of Malacology Antwerp ... - Unitas Malacologica

Mollusc collections in the National Museum of Ireland: Céad míle fáilte!
Sigwart, Julia D.; Leonard, Leona M.
1. Collections-based Biology in Dublin, National Museum of Ireland, Natural History Division,
Merrion Street, Dublin 2, Ireland,
Email: julia.sigwart@ucd.ie; lleonard@museum.ie
Collections-based Biology in Dublin (CoBiD) is a joint venture between the National Museum of
Ireland (Natural History Division, NMINH) and University College Dublin, dedicated to improving
the accessibility and the research applications of the Museum’s scientific collections. CoBiD’s
activities currently focus on the documentation of the molluscan collections. The collections of the
NMINH date from 1792 and are global in scope (with an emphasis on other former British colonial
territories); the holdings are of a similar size to scientific museums in other European capitals.
However, the NMINH suffers from critical understaffing and employs a total of five (5) staff. Work
on the molluscan collections has been the main activity of CoBiD’s volunteers since November 2006.
The collection includes significant material from 19th century collectors (e.g. Jeffreys, Monterosato,
and the Norwegian Asbjornsen) and exploring expeditions (e.g. Challenger, Southern Cross). To
date, this project has resulted in the cataloguing and re-housing of over 8,000 museum specimen
‘lots’, including more than 156,000 individual molluscs. Of this collection, approximately one-third
of material was never previously accessioned or documented by the museum. In May 2007 we
completed documentation of the bivalve shell collection. The bivalves cover 81 families, including
more than 1,400 lots from Ireland and Britain and a further 2,370 lots from other localities around the
world. Full catalogue details are available electronically by request. We also expect great things from
the gastropods, which are due to be completed in early 2008. The NMINH represents an excellent
general collection, which has never been tapped for malacological research.
Accounts on the phylogeny of the Muricidae (Caenogastropoda) based on comparative
morphology of some representatives
Simone, Luiz Ricardo L.
Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Cx. Postal 42494, 04299-970 São Paulo, SP
Brazil, Email: lrsimone@usp.br
As part of a wider study on the phylogenetic understanding of the Caenogastropoda higher taxa,
samples of the more diverse branches of each taxon has been studied in their detailed morphology
and anatomy. The comparative analysis of these samples, as representatives, has brought accounts on
the phylogeny and taxonomy of the Caenogastropoda as a whole and its main branches. The project
is now in the phase of refining the most diverse families. The main goal is to define each family
phylogeneticly, including their internal branches and their relationship with the other closer families.
The present project is respect to the Muricidae, which is one of the more diverse of the
caenogastropods. Samples of the all subfamilies and allies (as Thaididae, Coralliophilidae) were
studied in their detailed anatomy. Although the study is still being developed, the analysis of the
differences and similarities of the anatomy of the samples so far studied has revealing an interesting
arrangement, sometimes unlike the present knowledge and systematics. The provisional results and
the main implications of them in the phylogenetic and taxonomical knowledge will be presented,
looking for suggestions, criticisms and additional material for fulfilling any strategic branch.
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