Van Hyning Cockle Shell
Van Hyning became the Museum’s first director in 1914, and ran it virtually unassisted for 29 years. He started the…
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Squat Lobsters
Invertebrates are poorly known, even colorful Squat Lobsters. Many of these brightly colored animals remain undescribed by scientists – a…
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Segmented Worm
Chaetopterus pump water through their parchment tube and filter small plankton through a mucus net they hold. Their tube is…
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Sea Cucumbers
Sea Cucumbers come in all shapes and sizes, and play an important role in marine ecosystems by recycling nutrients. Unfortunately,…
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Sclerosponge
Scientists study ancient climate using “natural archives” such as ice and sediment cores, tree rings and certain animal remains. Sclerosponges…
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Ribbon Worms
Ocean-dwelling Ribbon Worms can grow longer than a blue whale, making them the world’s longest animal. These predators overwhelm their…
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Pencil Urchins
Cryptic species – species that look alike – present a challenge for scientists who classify organisms. DNA studies have shown…
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Native Hawaiian Snails
The Hawaiian Islands once had over 800 different types of snails. Scientists estimate that nearly half have been lost to…
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Native and Invasive Land Snails
Predators, like Florida’s Rosy Wolf Snail, were introduced to many Pacific islands to control invasive snails such as the Giant…
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Horseshoe Crab
Horseshoe Crab blood contains amebocyte cells, which envelop bacteria and prevent them from proliferating. Blood samples from 500,000 crabs are…
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