Guide to collections


Scientific international reference collection of cnidarians

Name Scientific international reference collection of cnidarians
Alternative name MCNB. Col. Scientific reference cnidarians
Cite as Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona (MCNB). Scientific international reference collection of cnidarians
MCNB. Col. Scientific reference cnidarians
Description Collection of Cnidaria consisting of whole organisms in liquid and dry invertebrate skeletons donated to the Museum in 2012 by the Institute of Marine Science (CSIC) and the University of Seville. This collection originates from the research programmes led by Josep M. Gili Sardà, Pablo López González and other researchers in the fields of taxonomy, ecology and biogeography. The donation was facilitated by the Ministry of Economy and Competition (Ref. CGL2011-14605-E) as part of the project to create an infrastructure in the Museum for this international reference collection of Cnidaria. This material has enriched considerably the Museum's collection of Cnidaria from both a quantitative (number of lots) and qualitative (diversity of taxa and type specimens) perspectives. This collection consists of 635 lots, almost twice the number of specimens in the Museum's historical collection. In all, 379 lots (corresponding to 160 species) originate from the Institute of Marine Science, with the remaining 256 lots (255 species) coming from the University of Seville. The taxonomic range encompasses the classes Hydrozoa, Anthozoa, Scyphozoa and Cubozoa (90% of lots correspond to the first two classes), and have specimens from around 20 different orders. The geographical range of the specimens covers the western Mediterranean (with an abundance of material from the Catalan coast), the southeast Atlantic (coasts of South Africa, Namibia, Angola), the Antarctic (Weddell and Scotia Seas) and other localities such as Laing Island (Papua New Guinea) and Guinea-Bissau. Most of the specimens originate from oceanographical research campaigns on board the vessels Discovery and Polarstern, carried out in recent decades. Documentary control of the lots to inventory level.
Description for especialists Scientific international reference collection of cnidarians
Provenance The collection originates from the research programmes led by Josep M. Gili Sardà, Pablo López González and other researchers in the fields of taxonomy, ecology and biogeography. There is a large proportion of taxa recently described by the authors of the collection and collaborators, and their type specimens. The specimens from the south Atlantic and the Antarctic that were collected from the 1960s onwards during oceanographic campaigns (some on the oceanographic research vessels Polarstern and Polarstern) represent the main part of the collection. The acquisition by the Museum of the collection, formerly held by the Institute of Marine Science (CSIC) and the University of Seville, was made possible by the Ministry of Economy and Competition (Ref. CGL2011-14605-E) who facilitated the creation of an infrastructure for this international reference collection of Cnidaria (2012).
Kingdom coverage Animalia
Taxon coverage Anthozoa (strength), Cubozoa, Hydrozoa (strength), Scyphozoa
Collectors Gili Sardà, Josep Maria
López González, Pablo
[altres]
Collection type Preserved
Primary purpose Research
Include types Yes
Grouping principle Taxonomic
Formations periods 1966
Development statuses Active growth
Collection extents 400 species, 635 lots
Documentation state Digital inventory to lot species level.
Specimen preservation methods Fluid-preserved, No Treatment
McGinley conservation statuses Level 4
Conservation status date 23-10-2013 (dd-mm-yyyy)
Institution Natural Science Museum of Barcelona - Non-Arthropod Invertebrates Department
Parent collection Cnidarians collection
Subcollections Cnidarians collection from the University of Sevilla
Cnidarians collection from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC)
Associated person Miguel Prieto (Documentalist), Francesc Uribe (Curator),
Related material Gili, J. M., Vervoort, W. & Pagès, F., 1989. Hydroids from the West African coast: Guinea Bissau, Namibia and South Africa. Scientia Marina, 53(1): 67-112.

López-González, P. J., Gili, J. M. & Williams, G. C., 2001. New records of Pennatulacea (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) from the African Atlantic coast, with description of a new species and zoogeographic analysis. Scientia Marina, 65(1): 59-74.

Pagès, F. & Gili, J. M., 1989. Siphonophores (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) collected during the "Magga dan" Expedition (1966-67) from Africa to Antarctica. Scientia Marina, 53(1): 53-57.

Pagès, F. & Gili, J. M., 1992. Planktonic Cnidarians of the Benguela Current: Station data. Scientia Marina, 56(1): 113-144.

Pagès, F. & Gili, J. M., 1992. Siphonophores (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) of the Benguela Current (southeastern Atlantic). Scientia Marina, 56(1): 65-112.

Pagès, F., Bouillon, J. & Gili, J. M., 1991. Four new species of Hydromedusae (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the coast of south-western Africa. Zoologica Scripta, 20(2): 89-98.

Pagès, F., Gili, J. M. & Bouillon, G., 1992. Medusae (Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Cubozoa) of the Benguela Current (southeastern Atlantic). Scientia Marina, 56(1): 1-64.

Pagès, F., Pugh, P. R. & Gili, J. M., 1994. Macro- and megaplanktonic cnidarians collected in the eastern part of the Weddell Gyre during summer 1979. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United kingdom, 74: 873-894.

Rodríguez, E. & López-González, P. J., 2008. The gastropod-symbiotic sea anemone genus Isosicyonis Carlgren, 1927 (Actiniaria: Actiniidae): a new species from the Weddell Sea (Antarctica) that clarifies the taxonomic position of the genus. Scientia Marina, 72(1): 73-86.

Rodríguez, E. & López-González, P. J., 2013. New records of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic sea anemones (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Actiniaria and Corallimorpharia) from the Weddell Sea, Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Arc. Zootaxa, 3624 (1): 1-100.

Rodríguez, E., López-González, P. J. & Daly, M., 2009. New family of sea anemones (Actiniaria, Acontiaria) from deep polar seas. Polar Biology, 32: 703-717.

Zapata-Guardiola, R. & López-González, P. J., 2010. Four new species of Thouarella (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Primnoidae) from Antarctic waters. Scientia Marina, 74(1): 131-146.

Zapata-Guardiola, R. & López-González, P. J., 2010. Two new gorgonian genera (Octocorallia: Primnoidae) from Southern Ocean waters. Polar Biology, 33(3): 313-320.

Zibrowius, H. & Gili, J. M., 1990. Deep-water Scleractinia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) from Namibia, South Africa, and Walvis Ridge, southeastern Atlantic. Scientia Marina, 54(1): 19-46.