The Zoological Museum of Invertebrates “Lauretana Carbone” was opened to the public in July 2002 and was established by the “European Association of Scientific and Natural History Museums,” the current manager. Currently, the exhibition route develops in three sections, presenting the main zoological classes of Invertebrates. The first section offers the public Porifera (or Sponges) and Cnidarians, Arthropods, Tentaculata, Annelids, Echinoderms, Aschelminthes, Rhizopods, Sipunculids, and Tunicates, while the third section exhibits Mollusks. The museum also houses comparative international-level collections of Mollusks; among the most notable are the Tentaculata collections, the only ones present in the Campania region. The Malacological collection displays the largest number of species in Campania, including some endangered and others already extinct. Among the now extinct species are some tree snails from Madagascar of the genus Tropidophora, from Mauritius Island of the genus Gibbus, from Madeira Island of the genus Geomitra, from Kauai Island (Hawaii) of the genus Camelia, from Raiatea Island (French Polynesia) of the genus Partula. Also noteworthy are the freshwater planorbid gastropod species Neoplanorbis carinatus from North America, Alabama (USA), and the Picard hygromiid (Trochoidea picardi) from Tel Aviv (Israel). The Porifera collection, rich in species, comes from all oceans and is among the most significant in Italy. Particularly notable is the collection of living horseshoe crabs of the Limuli family with all species included. The Lepidopteroteca is attractive, featuring butterflies from all continents. The collection of Mediterranean and tropical Echinoderms is also among the most complete in Italy. Many displayed animals are endangered.
Information about the Zoological Museum of Invertebrates “Lauretana Carbone”
Via Petronelli, 8
83100 Avellino (Avellino)
0864203006
museozoologico@alice.it
Source: MIBACT
