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 Velella velella (By-the-wind Sailor)

Selected Invertebrate Collections:

Insects
• Other Invertebrates
SEM lab
DNA lab
Invertebrate Zoology Home

Online Collections Database

Welcome to Invertebrate Zoology

Have you ever wondered about an unusual animal you uncovered at the beach, or along a hiking trail in the back country? The Department of Invertebrate Zoology is your local resource to answer questions on "spineless creatures," be they worms in your backyard, shells from the beach, or sea anemones from the deep sea.

An incredibly diverse collection of over 2 million invertebrate specimens is housed and maintained in the department. The collection is used much like a library by researchers and students from around the world. Voucher specimens from environmental studies are maintained to lend continual credibility to local surveys and publications.

All department staff are involved in active research on invertebrates. Our studies include describing new species of regional invertebrates, as well as helping document invertebrate biodiversity globally. These studies are critical to develop management and conservation strategies to cope with human impacts to the global environment.

Feel free to contact us with your questions about local and exotic invertebrates, click on our email address below, or phone us at (805) 682-4711.

Michael Caterino, Ph.D., Curator and Department Chair, ext. 151
Specialist in insects and other terrestrial arthropods, especially beetles
mcaterino@sbnature2.org

F. G. Hochberg, Ph.D., Curator, ext. 145
Specialist in octopus, land snails and parasites
fghochberg@sbnature2.org

Henry Chaney, Ph.D., Curator, ext. 150
Specialist in marine snails and shells
hchaney@sbnature2.org

Paul Valentich Scott, Curator, ext. 146
Specialist in marine bivalves - clams, oysters, mussels, scallops
pvscott@sbnature2.org

Patricia Sadeghian, M.A., Associate Curator, ext. 147
Specialist in ribbon worms, research interest in crabs
psadeghian@sbnature2.org

Daniel Geiger, Ph.D., Research Curator of Electron Microscopy, ext. 152
Specialist in marine snails and limpets
dgeiger@sbnature2.org

Maxi Polihronakis, Ph.D., California Beetle Project Postdoctoral Researcher, ext. 149
Specialist in scarab beetles and molecular systematics
mpolihronakis@sbnature2.org


 Glyptosoma


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