The invertebrate collections of the Tulane University Museum of Natural History continue the rich comunity structure holdings found among the vertebrate specimens. Especially strong in crustaceans and bivalve molluscs, other taxa are also represented.

Largest, perhaps, is the crustacean collection. In the crawfishes (Decapoda: Astacidae and Cambaridae) nearly 7000 lots have been cataloged, an equal number have been identified but not cataloged, and a vast number await indentification. Particularly significant is that almost all of the specimens were identified by specialists in the group, mostly by George H. Penn and J. F. Fitzpatrick, Jr. Paratypes for about 60 taxa are among the specimens. They add up to what is surely the best crawfish collection apart from the Smithsonian, and it is accumulating material regularly. A very large number of freshwater crabs from Central and South America can likewise be found in the collection. These were amassed by the late Alfred E. Smalley. Many are unidentified but Gilberto Rodriguez is presently examining all the undescribed and unidentified crabs. Probably no other North American collection contains as much and as diverse a group of specimens.

The bivalve molluscs are represented by several thousand lots. They contain both liquid-preserved and dry shell material. Unfortunately, they are mostly unidentified and uncataloged. We do know, however, that among them are species now believed to be extinct and many that are candidate species for protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Requests for loans and information about invertebrate holdings can be sent to Nelson Rios (nelson@museum.tulane.edu). The Museum welcomes serious researchers to visit the collections and interact with the curatorial staff.