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Invertebrate Zoology

The Invertebrate Zoology collection houses recent invertebrates and arachnids, excluding insects and mollusks.

  • cryptocellus

    Cryptocellus sp.

    Hooded Tickspider (Ricinulei) from Panama, MCZ 30915, photo by G. Giribet

  • Invertebrate Zoology Staff

    Invertebrate Zoology Staff, 2015

    (L to R): A. Baldinger, G. Giribet, P. Benson, L. Leibensperger, J.Lenihan, K. Sheridan, Y. Xiao, M. Srivastava, M. Sorce

  • cabinet

    Invertebrate Zoology Cabinet of Curiosity, opened 2017

    Front: A. Jarvis. J. Goldstein, A. Baldinger Back: J.W. Trimble, L. Leibensperger, P. Benson, G. Giribet, K. Sheridan

  • drymusa

    Drymusa sp.

    Spider from South Africa, MCZ 49521, photo by G. Giribet

  • alpheus

    Alpheus sp.

    Snapping shrimp from Panama, MCZ 54939, photo by G. Giribet

  • placobdella

    Placobdella sp.

    Leach on turtle from Massachusetts, MCZ 66870, photo by E. Schuler

  • acoelomorpha

    Hofstenia sp.

    Acoel flatworm from Belize, MCZ 74273, photo by G. Giribet

  • dibunus

    Dibunus sp

    Harvestman from Malaysia, MCZ 141285, photo by G. Giribet

  • scytodidae

    Scytodidae sp.

    Spitting spider from Trinidad and Tobago, MCZ 143969, photo by G. Giribet

  • isopoda

    Paracerceis sp.

    Marine isopod from Bermuda, MCZ 67173, photo by J.W. Trimble

  • parantipathes

    Parantipathes sp.

    Black coral from California, MCZ 145158, photo by A. Jarvis

  • ophiuroidea

    Ophiuridae sp.

    Brittle star from California, MCZ 145161, photo by E. Polka

  • cyamus_boopis

    Cyamus boopis Lutken, 1870

    Whale louse from humpback whale, MCZ 83014, photo by J.W Trimble

  • Astrangia

    Astrangia sp.

    Stony coral fragment from South Carolina, MCZ SCOR-1228, photo by C. Fleming

  • baseodiscus

    Baseodiscus sp.

    Ribbon worm from Spain, MCZ 135319, photo by G. Giribet

  • History

    In 1859, Louis Agassiz founded the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ). Shortly after the completion of the first wing of the Museum of Comparative Zoology in 1860, nearly 100,000 specimens were already part of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology (IZ). These specimens came from existing specimens already owned by Harvard, those that L. Agassiz brought with him from Switzerland in 1847, and those that he either collected or purchased after his arrival in the United States. Many students of L. Agassiz were named as assistants and given the responsibility of arranging various collections...

    Read more about History

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