The Catalog of Aquatic Mollusca (Bivalvia and Gastropoda) in the Limnology Museum of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (COMULM)

Authors : Songul Bicer, Deniz Anıl Odabaşi, Buğra Öztürk

Pages : 7-13

Doi:10.26650/tjbc.20221017242

View : 27 | Download : 13

Publication Date : 2022-02-28

Article Type : Research

Abstract :Objective: Natural History Museums are important organizations that increase the awareness of the public on biodiversity, nature, and its conservation. Museums or collections like these, enable the recognition of organisms that are now extinct or that cannot always be seen in nature. Thus, the establishment of such collections can be very useful for the formation of nature consciousness. In this study, the aquatic Mollusca Catalog of the Limnology Museum of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (COMULM) is presented. Materials and Methods: The specimens of the collection were identified according to the identification references under a stereomicroscope and fixed with 80 % alcohol or remained dry in glass vials or plastic tubes. All the materials were labeled and transferred to the multi-drawer archive cabinet in the Marine and Inland Water Laboratory, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology. This catalog, which contains 53 taxa, includes local endemics and common taxa as well as invasive-exotic taxa mainly from Turkey. The list of the Mollusca catalog was presented by following the current taxonomic nomenclature. Results: According to the results, nine of the Mollusca belong to Bivalvia and the 44 of which are Gastropoda. In total, 2301 specimens were counted in the catalog, and the species with the highest specimen number (419 individuals) is Physella acuta. Considering the geographical distributions of the Mollusca species in this catalog, the eleven species of freshwater gastropods in the catalog are endemic to Turkey, whereas three of the freshwater gastropods are endemic to the Middle East, Balkans, and some of the Greek Islands in the Aegean Sea. On the other hand, some gastropod species are not naturally found in our aquatic systems, which were collected from ornamental purpose aquariums. Conclusion: In this context, the Mollusca museum of the COMULM is capable of contributing to Turkey’s faunistic studies by enabling taxonomic comparisons and investigations to the scientists. 
Keywords : Collection, Museum, Mollusca, Turkey, Limnology