Entomologia

Scientific sections

Entomology

The Entomological Section holds extensive and rare historical collections, partly from the Museum of Zoology of the University of Turin, partly acquired at a later stage. Collections include a large number of specimens whose analysis has enabled the collector to provide a thorough description of a new species. Therefore, they have gained broader scientific relevance.

La sezione di Entomologia del Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino

Historical collections

  • Spinola
  • Breme
  • Baudi di Selve
  • Sella
  • Giglio-Tos
  • Bellardi
  • Borelli
  • Gozzano
  • General collection of insects from around the world

MRSN’s Collections

  • Hartig
  • Zunino
  • Mateu
  • Bordon
  • Giannatelli
  • Scaramozzino
  • Mochi
  • Pagliano
  • Castellano
  • Miscellaneous from collections from around the world

90.000

Palearctic beetles and hemiptera donated by Count Flaminio Baudi of Selve in 1901

50.000

beetles from around the world (Ferdinando Arborio of Gattinara Collection)

37.900

specimens mainly belonging to the Italian range (Eugenio Sella Collection)

21.000

specimens of Hymenoptera (Massimiliano Spinola Collection)

15.000

Diptera from Piedmont and Mexico (Luigi Bellardi Collection)

6.500

dermatteri from various parts of the world (Borelli Collection, part of which preserved in alcohol)

THOUSANDS of Orthoptera and Mantoids from all over the world (Giglio-Tos Collection)

SPINOLA COLLECTION ~ HYMENOPTERA

Where does it come from and what does it consist of?
It is a collection of hymenoptera from the Museum of Zoology of the University of Turin. It was assembled between 1805 and 1857 by the entomologist Massimiliano Spinola.
Consisting of around 21,000 specimens, it includes several 'types' of species from all over the world.

SPINOLA COLLECTION ~ BEETLES AND HEMIPTERA

Massimiliano Spinola's collections of beetles and hemipterans were acquired in the 1980s by Regione Piemonte and incorporated into the MRSN collections.

What do they consist of?
These collections include material from the Dejean collection, a 19th century French entomologist, the Lepelletier de Saint Fargeau collection and the Serville collection, who described hundreds of species.

Is it useful for researchers?
Specialists from all over the world are still interested in research and study on the collection.

BAUDI DI SELVE COLLECTION

The collection comprises some 90,000 Palearctic beetles and hemiptera. It was donated to the Museum in 1901.
Count Flaminio Baudi of Selve (1821-1901) collected specimens of beetles from the Mediterranean basin and described quite a few types of them.

BREME COLLECTION

The collection was assembled by Ferdinando Arborio of Gattinara, Marquis of Breme (1807 – 1869), who collected and studied countless beetles from all over the world.
An important part of the Dejean collection, as well as material added by researchers and curators at the university, between the second half of the 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, has been brought into the collection, which comprises around 50,000 specimens.

SELLA COLLECTION

Who did assemble the collection?
The collection was assembled by Eugenio Sella (1820–1882), cousin of the statesman Quintino.

What does the collection comprise?
It comprises about 37,900 specimens of beetles, preeminently belonging to the Italian range.

An endemic species of Val Sessera
The presence of the Carabus olympiae, an endemic species of the Val Sessera (Piedmont), is noteworthy. Its discovery dates back to the summer of 1854, when his cousin Olimpia Sella spotted a specimen at Bocchetto Sessera. The species, unknown at the time, was described by Sella himself in 1855.

GIGLIO-TOS COLLECTION

With thousands of Orthoptera and Mantoids from all over the world, it was assembled by the entomologist Giglio-Tos (1865-1926), director of the Museum of Zoology of the University of Turin.
He described, with the assistance of world-renowned entomologists, several of the species included in the collection.

BELLARDI COLLECTION

The Luigi Bellardi (1818-1889) collection consists of around 15,000 Italian and Mexican Diptera; many of them were described by Bellardi and Giglio-Tos.
The collection also includes Parma diptera, described by Camillo Rondani.

BORELLI COLLECTION

It consists of some 6,500 specimens of Dermaptera from all over the world.
It is outstandingly rich in types.
Some of them are preserved in alcohol.

MZUT GENERAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION

A miscellany of insects from all over the world, including material collected by Vittore Ghiliani (1812-1878) and some specimens collected by De Filippi (1814-1867) during his voyage aboard the Pyrocorvette Magenta.
Rich in types, which have been described by various authors, it is regrettably partially damaged.

Fulvio GIACHINO

Entomological collections manager
fulvio.giachino@regione.piemonte.it
+39 011 4322623

Matteo RUZZON

Section expert
matteo.ruzzon@regione.piemonte.it
+39 011 4325607

How many things can one learn about the natural world? Find it all out at the Regional Museum of Natural Sciences!