Marine invertebrates
The term "marine invertebrates" is used to describe groups as diverse as crustaceans, molluscs, worms, cnidarians (corals, jellyfish, etc.), sponges, etc. This group of collections is one of those with the highest annual growth rate, thanks to the many oceanographic campaigns and scientific explorations mainly organised by the Museum. It contains a large number of recent and historical types, making it one of the richest collections in the world, both in terms of diversity and abundance.
Attention
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Natural History Collections
- The Museum’s collections portal is once again accessible. Last updated: 01/04/2026
Documentary Collections
- Catalogue of archives, manuscripts, iconographic documents, works of art and Calames collection items
- Printed Works Catalogue
For any requests regarding access to the MNHN’s collections (loans, sampling, images, visits), please refer to the procedure outlined on the page for the collection relevant to your request.
Scientific manager
Nicolas Puillandre : nicolas.puillandre [@] mnhn.fr
Head of Conservation Service
Pierre Lozouet : pierre.lozouet [@] mnhn.fr
Annelid collection
Annelids are vermiform animals made up of a series of recurring units that each contain a fluid-filled internal cavity.
Ascidian (Benthic tunicate) collection
Tunicates, which include Ascidians, are characterised by an outer envelope called a tunic formed from a cellulose compound. They...
Bryozoan and brachiopod collection
Bryozoans form colonies of a few centimetres composed of many separate units called zooids. The colonies are encrusting, erect or...
Cnidarian collection
Hydra, sea anemones, corals, jellyfish and sea fans belong to the phylum Cnidaria. These animals are characterised by the presence...
Crustacean, Pycnogonid and Limulid collection
Crustaceans, pycnogonids and horseshoe crabs are arthropods, animals whose segmented bodies are covered by an external skeleton...
Echinoderm collection
Echinoderms, which include sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, brittle stars and crinoids, are exclusively marine organisms...
Marine, terrestrial and freshwater mollusc collection
Although some molluscs, such as landsnails, live on land, or in fresh water, like freshwater pearl mussels, the majority is in...
Meiofauna collection
Meiofauna is a term used to describe the interstitial fauna living on the seabed and ranging in size from 40 µm to 1 mm. The...
Helminth collection
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle's national helminth collections constitute a global reference collection for the study of...
Porifera collection
Long considered to be plants, sponges are one of the oldest phyla in the animal kingdom. These organisms consist of two layers of...
Protist collection
The Protist collection consists of microscope slides, fixed specimens, and documentations from renowned Protistologists, and...