Close-up of a light-coloured, labyrinthine, winding calcareous structure of a stony coral

Sub-collection

Marine Invertebrates

The sub-collection preserves marine invertebrates from over 200 years of research and provides a key resource for taxonomic, evolutionary and ecological studies.

Overview

The sub-collection comprises around 47,000 catalogued specimens. The majority originate from marine biological expeditions of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It also includes freshwater forms of certain groups.

The systematically organised sub-collection brings together twelve major groups of marine invertebrates:

  • Porifera (sponges)
  • Cnidaria (cnidarians)
  • Ctenophora (comb jellies)
  • Kamptozoa (cup worms)
  • Phoronida (horseshoe worms)
  • Bryozoa (moss animals)
  • Brachiopoda (brachiopods)
  • Echinodermata (echinoderms)
  • Enteropneusta (acorn worms)
  • Pterobranchia (pterobranchs)
  • Tunicata (tunicates)
  • Acrania (lancetfish)

Around 70 per cent of the specimens are preserved in alcohol. In addition, there are extensive collections of dried and micro-preparations available.

The library comprises a collection-related stock of historical monographs as well as an extensive collection of special prints covering the taxonomic range of marine invertebrates. 

 

In Alkohol konservierte marine Wirbellose (Seeigel und Korallen) in beschrifteten Glasgefäßen
Photo: Carola Radke

Access

Thanks to historical accession catalogues and electronic databases, this sub-collection has been digitally catalogued and can be searched for research purposes. 

Part of the collection – including type specimens of sponges, corals and echinoderms – is accessible via the SeSAM data portal. We are gradually making further data available in digital form. 

 

Contact

History

The sub-collection developed in the context of major research expeditions and scientific networks of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Important contributions come from, amongst others:

  • the Rurik expedition (1815–1817)
  • the Gazelle expedition (1874–1876)
  • the German Deep-Sea Expedition with the Valdivia (1898–1899)
  • the German South Polar Expedition with the Gauss (1901–1903)

In addition, there are extensive collections from prominent researchers, including Hemprich and Ehrenberg, Klunzinger, Döderlein, as well as Kükenthal and Hartmeyer.

Many of these collections were assembled in the context of colonial research expeditions. The museum is working to systematically examine these historical contexts and make them transparent. 

 

Research

Researchers from the museum and around the world use the collection to address taxonomic, evolutionary and ecological questions. Modern optical and molecular methods make it possible to utilise even historical specimens for current research questions.

A current focus is on the investigation of historical alcohol-preserved specimens using molecular biological methods. These provide new insights into genetic diversity and long-term changes in marine ecosystems.

One example: researchers are comparing the microstructure and skeletal density of corals from the historic Ehrenberg Collection with modern specimens. The aim is to understand changes linked to climate change and biodiversity loss.

Other projects are investigating the molecular taxonomy of corals and the systematics of brachiopods (Brachiopoda).

The sub-collection thus provides an important basis for analysing global environmental changes over long periods of time.