Los cefalópodos del antiguo Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de México: Chopo

Abstract

The Museum was closed in 1964 and for long time the collections were allocated in several locations. The Instituto de Biolog´ıa of Universidad Nacional Aut´onoma de M´exico has several collections from the old museum. In particular, the Colecci´on Nacional de Moluscos, since 1989, has more than 600 lots of molluscs in its repertoire. Among them nine specimens of cephalopods (squids, cuttlefishes and octopuses) which are reported in the present work. All specimens are stored in their original jars with formalin and hermetically sealed, and only few have their original labels. The three main groups of cephalopods are represented. Three octopuses were collected off M´exico and re-identified as Octopus mimus. One paper nautilus (Argonauta argo) and two cuttle- fishes (Sepia elegans and S. officinalis) are Mediterranean, and one squid (Doryteuthis opalescens) from United States of America. All specimens were collected late 19t  century and beginning 20th century. This biological material is important because are part of the historical heritage of Mexico.