Brachiopod collection
Ventral view of Mucrospirifer, a fossil brachiopod, showing the characteristically wing-like shell. This Devonian specimen from Ohio is 3.5cm wide.
Brachiopod hard parts have excellent preservation potential. As a result, the Brachiopod collection has more than 300,000 specimens, including 10,000 type and figured specimens.
Find a specimen
The collections are being digitised and are accessible via the Data Portal.
Specimen numbers
Specimens
300,000
Type specimens
10,000
Collection strengths
Uniquely, the collection includes recent (non-fossil) dry and preserved specimens in addition to fossil material.
The value of the collection is enhanced by a specialist library.
Geological range
The full geological range of each subphylum of brachiopod is represented in our collection:
- Craniiformea (Lower Cambrian to Recent)
- Linguliformea (Lower Cambrian to Recent)
- Rhynchonelliformea (Lower Cambrian to Recent)
Major collections
- Sowerby Collection: contains brachiopod specimens illustrated in the Mineral Conchology
- William Smith Collection: contains specimens associated with his pioneering mapping of Britain
- Sir Charles Darwin Collection: brachiopod specimens collected from South America during the voyage of HMS Beagle
- Davidson Collection
Countries of origin
The collection is representative of oceanic islands and all continents including Antarctica.
