Small invertebrate phyla
The collections cover all of the living invertebrate phyla, including Onychophora (velvet worms), Chaetognatha (arrow worms), Gastrotricha (hairybacks), Kinorhyncha (mud dragons), Nemertea (ribbon worms), Phoronida (horseshoe worms), Priapulida (penis worms), Rotifera (wheel animals) and Tardigrada (water bears).
Find a specimen
The collections are being digitised and are accessible via the Data Portal.
Specimen numbers
Specimens
755,000
Specimen breakdown by phylum
- Onychophora (velvet worms): 1,500 (wet and slides)
- Chaetognatha (arrow worms): 750,000 (wet), 225 (slides)
- Gastrotricha (hairybacks): 80 (wet and slides)
- Kinorhyncha (mud dragons): 13 (slides)
- Nemertea (ribbon worms): 360 (wet), 500 (slides)
- Phoronida (horseshoe worms): 1,700 (wet), 184 (slides)
- Priapulida (penis worms): 50 (wet), 100 (slides)
- Rotifera (wheel animals): 260 (wet), 5,250 (slides)
- Tardigrada (water bears): 287 (wet and slides)
Curators
If you would like to use any specimens for research, please contact the relevant curator.
Emma Sherlock, Senior Curator (Nemertea, Phoronida, Priapulida). Email Emma.
Jan Beccaloni, Senior Curator (Onychophora, Tardigrada). Email Jan.
Miranda Lowe, Principal Curator (Gastrotricha, Kinorhyncha, Rotifera). Email Miranda.
Dr Lauren Hughes, Principal Curator in Charge, Invertebrates (non-insects). Email Lauren.
