Invertebrates

Carcinology

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Carcinology

It gathers more than 500,000 specimens, standing out among the largest collections in South America. It includes types of about 600 species of Crustacea.

The marine collection is formed mainly by species from the western Atlantic (with special reference to the region between French Guiana and Argentina), but includes extensive material from selected groups of Decapoda from other oceanographic basins (e.g., Indo-Pacific, Mediterranean). The collection of land and continental waters crustaceans comes essentially from the Neotropical region and practically includes all regions of Brazil.

The Carcinological Collection began to be formed in 1894 (then Museu Paulista) by the work of Hermann von Ihering (1850-1930) and collaborators (e.g., Ernest Garbe, 1853-1925; Hermann Luederwaldt, 1865-1934). In 1939, the collection was transferred to the Department of Zoology of the Agriculture’s Office where it remained until 1969, when it was incorporated into the Universidade de São Paulo and called the Museu de Zoologia. In 1961, the Department of Zoology of the Agriculture’s Office hired Gustavo Augusto Schmidt de Melo, who participated in numerous expeditions with emphasis on the collection of marine and continental waters decapod crustaceans.

In 2003, MZUSP hired Marcos Tavares. The carcinological collection is available to professionals and students for on-site or remote consultation. The visiting researchers can count on technical assistance and have modern equipment (stereoscopes and optical microscopes) and specialized bibliography at their disposal.

Systematics and Biogeography of Crustacea
Prof. Dr. Marcos Domingos Siqueira Tavares
Phone: (55) (11) 2065-8085

Joana d’Arc de Jesus Pinto (Museum Assistant)
Phone: (55) (11) 2065-6667
E-mail: joanadarc@usp.br

Maria José de Souza Coelho (Museum Assistant)
Phone: (55) (11) 2065-6667
E-mail: mjsc@usp.br