Invertebrate Zoology Collections

Tasmania’s invertebrate fauna – comprising the vast majority of animals which lack a backbone – remains poorly known, and a key role of the Invertebrate Zoology staff and collections is to help rectify this.

Specimens are derived from individual and institutional donations, as well as from our own collecting trips and systematic surveys from around Tasmania, for instance through our annual Expeditions of Discovery (including Bush Blitzes), or through participating in deep-sea research voyages.

The collections include specimens of scientific and historical importance, including many type specimens.

The earliest of these types date from the mid-nineteenth century, with continued additions as further new Tasmanian species are described.

Currently, the ‘wet’ (ethanol-preserved) and dry collections together comprise close to 300,000 registered specimens or multi-specimen lots.

Tasmanian insects and molluscs are particularly well represented, but the collections encompass a broad range of marine, terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate groups.

We also care for valuable donated collections of non-Tasmanian beetles, butterflies and seashells.