Catalogue of sponges, cnidarians, and echinoderms from Brazil based on a historical inventory of the Invertebrate Collection Paulo Young (CIPY)

Authors : Anne Isabelley Gondim, Martin Lindsey Christoffersen, Thelma Lúcia Pereira Dias

Pages : 30-63

Doi:10.26650/tjbc.20200099

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Publication Date : 2020-09-16

Article Type : Research

Abstract :Scientific collections represent a highly relevant social legacy. They provide a source for research and production of human resources at several academic levels and play a key role for the preservation of biodiversity. The Invertebrate Collection Paulo Young (CIPY), held at the Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), contains one of the most complete collections of shallow water marine invertebrates from Northeastern Brazil. It contains about 18,000 catalogued samples, and circa 2-3 times more samples awaiting identification and registration. The samples were collected in a variety of natural and artificial marine environments (e. g., coastal reefs, mangroves, and shipwrecks). The main collection is subdivided into seven main groups (Porifera, Cnidaria, Mollusca, Annelida, Crustacea, Echinodermata, and Ascidiacea), and other smaller groups (Bryozoa, Echiura, Sipuncula, Pycnogonida, Enteropneusta, and marine Turbellaria). Using only identified and registered samples, we catalogued 285 species among the phyla Porifera (89 spp.), Cnidaria (93 spp.), and Echinodermata (103 spp.). The collection has 36 types of species (including three Porifera, one Cnidaria, and four Echinodermata). Considering its representativeness, this collection has a valuable record of Brazilian national marine diversity. Thus, the CIPY deserves to be known, recognized, and made available for study.
Keywords : Zoological collections, biodiversity, benthos, conservation, North-eastern Brazil