Malacology Collection

The land and freshwater gastropods of the Southwestern United States are the largest component of the 28,000-specimen malacology collection, which includes many type and voucher specimens. The freshwater bivalves of Texas are well-represented. Specimens include extant and Pleistocene fossil mollusks. Much of the collection is based on the research of the late Elmer P. Cheatum, Ph.D. (Southern Methodist University) and Richard W. Fullington, Ph.D. (Curator of Invertebrates, DMNH, retired). Recently the Museum conducted surveys for the Texas Nature Conservancy.

Information on this collection is contained in a four-part bulletin, The Aquatic and Land Mollusks of Texas, published by the Dallas Museum Natural History in the early 1970’s. Also associated with the collection is a reprint file of historical biological publications.