Arthropod

The Arthropod collection (MHNC-UP/ART) consists of over 510 000 specimens of insets, arachnids, crustaceans and myriapods. The specimens are preserved dry (in entomological pins) and in spirit, and a small number of microscope slides is also present.

This taxonomic collection contains several historic collections with very different origins and sizes. The oldest of these were amassed in the second half of the 19 th century, as that of Carl Emil Biel (composed of tropical butterflies), José Braga Júnior (South-American butterflies and beetles), and José Correia de Barros (beetles for all over the world), while those of Maria Amélia Silva Cruz (Portuguese butterflies, mainly) and Luiz Whytton da Terra (primarily

Portuguese caddisflies) were produced throughout a number of decades in the 20 th century.

The most recent ones of those of Lieutenant-Colonel António Figueira (which includes a variety of insect groups, mainly from Portugal and Angola) and Tristão Branco (scarabaeoid beetles from Portugal and other regions of the globe), which were created in the second half of the 20 th century and in the first decade of the 21 st century.

The digitisation is ongoing and its level varies among the entomological collections, currently amounting to approximately 11% of the specimens. The main additional task in progress is the rehousing of the specimens to ensure their long-term conservation.

Curator in charge: José Manuel Grosso-Silva.