Malacology
The mollusk collection (MHNC-UP/MOL) currently consists of about 50.000 specimens. Most of these are preserved dry (shells), although there is a small number of fluid preserved specimens.
The main focus of this collection is the marine and non-marine mollusks of the collections of Augusto Nobre (1865–1946; circa 8.000 specimens), as well as that of José da Silva e Castro (1842 –1928; circa 3.850 specimens), Francisco Rodrigues Batalha (1819–1873; circa 18.000 specimens),and the important collection of African and Timor mollusks collected by Francisco Newton (1864–1909) and other Portuguese naturalists of the 19th and 20th centuries. More recently, the collection grew considerably with the donation of the collection of Alberto Alarcão e Silva (1931–; circa 20.000 specimens). The mollusks of the MHNC-UP are amongst the most important collections of mollusks in the Iberian Peninsula, due to its dimension, diversity, and its value as a collection of reference.
The main lines of research associated with this collection focus on its historical study, as well as its growth, maintenance and conservation, and supporting research projects, both in undergraduate and graduate studies.
