The collection of other invertebrates is primarily composed of worm-like groups, but also includes various microscopic species such as Gastrotricha (hairybacks) and Tardigrada (water bears). The collection contains approximately 60,000 specimens and continues to grow, partly due to increasing research at the genetic level. Additionally, significant research is being conducted at Naturalis on calcified tube worms (Annelida: Polychaeta: Serpulidae) and flatworms (Platyhelminthes).
Amazing
The majority of this collection consists of worm-like groups such as annelids (Annelida), roundworms (Nematoda), ribbon worms (Nemertea), and flatworms (Platyhelminthes). About two-thirds of this collection consists of specimens preserved in liquid, while the remaining portion mainly consists of glass preparations, with a very small part made up of dry specimens. Additionally, an important part of this collection comes from the Parasite Collection of Utrecht. The collection is incredibly diverse due to its variety of species groups. It ranges from a single individual, just a few micromillimeters in size on a slide, to a tapeworm measuring 9.6 meters long(!). Sometimes it involves a single specimen in a large cylindrical jar half a meter in size, or up to 400 glass preparations of a single worm. In short, you will constantly be amazed here!
Flatworms
The flatworm collection forms a large part of the other invertebrates. With no less than 12,500 registrations, it is one of the largest collections in the world. It all began with J.C.C. Loman (1856-1929), who described several new species from the Zoological Museum Amsterdam (ZMA). After this, there was a significant gap, which has been filled since the 1970s through active research by Ian R. Ball, Ronald Sluys, and Elizabeth J. de Vries. Numerous publications followed from them, and with acquisitions from the Kawakatsu collection (a taxonomic expert from Japan), the collection grew exponentially to become one of the most important in the world.
Ringworms
The collection of ringworms is also a significant part of this collection, specifically the bristle worms (Polychaeta). This collection has mainly grown through historical expeditions (such as the Siboga Expedition) and recent expeditions (including the Snellius-II Expedition and the CANCAP expedition). It has also expanded through (external) research and the numerous collecting trips of several researchers, such as Harry ten Hove, who specialized in specific groups. As a result, the collection is rich in type specimens and published material.
History
This collection has had many managers throughout its long history, and due to its taxonomic diversity, there have been many shifts in its organisation. Both the Amsterdam collection and the Leiden collection sometimes had different approaches to the taxonomic arrangement of the collections. Important figures in the history of this collection who should not be forgotten include: Rutgerus Horst (1849-1930), Johannes Govertus de Man (1850-1930), Carel Philip Sluiter (1854-1933), Jan Cornelis Christiaan Loman (1856-1929), Gustav Albert Stiasny (1877-1946), Jacob van der Land (1935-2011), Ian R. Ball (1941-2000), and our current researchers.
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