Guide to collections


Collection of marine molluscs from Philippines

Name Collection of marine molluscs from Philippines
Alternative name MCNB. Col. marine molluscs Philippines
Cite as Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona (MCNB). Collection of marine molluscs from Philippines
MCNB. Col. marine molluscs Philippines
Description Collection of marine molluscs from the Philippine archipelago consisting entirely of dry shells apart from one specimen of Argonauta argo that is preserved ethyl alcohol 70º. In all, there are 10 000 specimens grouped in 3,570 lots. Most of the collection consists of gastropods and bivalves, with a few specimens of Cephalopoda, Polyplacophora and Scaphopoda (a total of 20 lots). Wide range of gastropod and bivalve taxa. Most of the material belongs to the Museum's historical collection (original collection of Francesc Martorell and collections of Artur Bofill, Joan Baptista d'Aguilar-Amat, Joan Rosals, Barcelona Royal Academy of Science and the Arts, Manuel de Chía, Baltasar Serradell and the Jaume Bofill Institute, amongst others). The whole collection has been registered, documented and digitalized to specimen-lot level. Data from a part of the collection can be consulted on-line on the website of the Barcelona Natural History Museum and the portal GBIF. A sample of the marine molluscs from the Philippines has been displayed in the Museum's permanent exhibition. Currently, the a group of specimens from 18 lots is on display in the Museum Blau.
Provenance The first specimens came from the shell collection of Francesc Martorell i Peña and were part of the original collection of the Martorell Museum (1879). Also of interest are the lots donated a few years later by Adolfo de Reynoso (1882). The addition of the collections of Artur Bofill, Joan Baptista d'Aguilar-Amat and Joan Rosals in 1917-1920 increased the Museum's collection of marine molluscs from the Philippines significantly. Further material came from other historical collections that were added subsequently, including specimens from the collections of Barcelona Royal Academy of Science and the Arts (on permanent loan to the Museum since 1925), Manuel de Chía (1923), Baltasar Serradell (1931), José Giner (1932) and the Jaume Balmes Institute (1936). The Royal Academy's collection includes specimens collected by Eduard Cháquert, Eusebi Mas, José María Salvañá and Jaume Bastét (the latter the origin of the specimen of Argonauta argo, this collection's only wet specimen). Under the direction of Artur Bofill i Poch (1892-1929) and then J. B. d’Aguilar-Amat (1929-1936), the malacological section began to be reorganized and all the different collections were united and the nomenclature revised (all the original labels have been preserved). Francesc Uribe has been curator of the Museum's non-Arthropod Invertebrate collection since 1997. During his time in charge, the registration, documentation and computerization to specimen-lot level has been completed.
Kingdom coverage Animalia
Taxon coverage Bivalvia (strength), Cephalopoda, Gastropoda (strength), Polyplacophora, Scaphopoda
Collectors [desconeguts]
Collection type Preserved
Primary purpose Research
Include types No
Grouping principle Spatial
Formations periods ca. 1882-
Development statuses Passive growth
Collection extents 10000 specimens, 3570 lots
Documentation state Documentary control of all the lots (registration, inventory and computerization). Most material still needs to be revised: identification to species level based on documentation and original labels (nomenclature updated for the samples documented with MuseumPlus).
Specimen preservation methods Fluid-preserved, No Treatment
Preparation and conservation Dried material boxed or wrapped up in protective material in individual containers. Control of the environmental conditions in storage areas.
McGinley conservation statuses Level 8
Conservation status date 22-07-2013 (dd-mm-yyyy)
Institution Natural Science Museum of Barcelona - Non-Arthropod Invertebrates Department
Parent collection Collection of marine molluscs
Collection of molluscs from Philippines
Associated person Miguel Prieto (Documentalist), Francesc Uribe (Curator),
Item level access MCNB Mollusca GBIF online database (date when consulted) (accessed through GBIF data portal, http://data.gbif.org/datasets/resource/9125, 2013-09-04)
Col·leccions en línia de Zoologia (MCNB) / Online Zoological Collections (MCNB)
Related material Bofill i Poch, A., 1917. La colecció Rosals. Anuari de la Junta de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona, 2: 193-196.

Martorell, M. & Bofill, A., 1888. Catálogo de la colección conchiológica que fué de D. Francisco Martorell y Peña legada por dicho señor á la ciudad de Barcelona y existente en el Museo Martorell de la propia ciudad. Barcelona. 94 pp.