We are continually adding high-quality images of shells in our collection, particularly micromollusks (species under 5 mm in total length). Images can be viewed via Arctos (see FAQs for more information about these images).

Natural history museums around the world are digitizing their collection data and imaging their specimens. For our marine invertebrate specimens, we are focusing on SEM (scanning electron microscope) and light microscopy images of micromollusks, which tend to be underrepresented on the Internet. An example of a digitized specimen can be seen in Arctos: catalog #29833. 

The largest shell in the collection is a Tridacna gigas—the giant clam—which is on display in the South Pacific diorama on the second floor. Tridacna gigas can grow to be over four feet long and weigh almost 600 pounds. Among our smallest shells are families of micromollusks that are only a few millimeters (less than 1/16”) tall when adults. Although these micromollusks may represent one-third of all molluscan species, they tend to be the least studied and collected because of their size.

The collection contains mollusks that live in marine, terrestrial, and freshwater environments. Mollusks first arose almost 500 million years ago and have evolved to occupy every possible niche from the deepest seas to the mountains. Our collection contains both an Ifremeria nautilei found at a hydrothermal vent in the Mariana Back-Arc Basin at 200 meters depth and a Vitrea subrimata  found at 860 meters elevation in the mountains of Austria.