Fossil bryozoan collection
Scanning electron micrograph of zooids of Watersipora grandis, a fossil cheilostome bryozoan. The specimen originates from the Pliocene Pinecrest Beds in Sarasota, Florida, North America.
We hold the best collection of fossil bryozoans in the world, with more than 5,000 type and figured specimens.
Find a specimen
The collections are being digitised and are accessible via the Data Portal.
Specimen numbers
Specimens
1,500,000
Type and figured specimens
5,000
Strengths
The collection contains an estimated 1,500,000 specimens, making it one of the largest palaeontology collections at the Museum.
The value of the collection is enhanced by a specialist library and more than 20,000 scanning electron microscope images.
Countries of origin
The collection is representative of all continents.
Geological range
The full geological range of each group of bryozoans except the Phylactolaemata is represented:
- the class Gymnolaemata, with the following orders:
- Cheilostomata (Jurassic to Recent)
- Ctenostomata (Ordovician to Recent)
- the class Stenolaemata, with the following orders:
- Cryptostomata (Ordovician to Triassic)
- Cyclostomata (Ordovician to Recent)
- Cystoporata (Ordovician to Triassic)
- Fenestrata (Ordovician to Permian)
- Trepostomata (Ordovician to Triassic)
Important historical collections
- Ulrich collection
- Arthur W Rowe collection
- Searles Wood collection
- George Busk collection
- Tesson collection
- Sir Charles Lyell collection
- J W Gregory collection
- William Lang Collection
- D A Brown collection
