The vast majority of all known leptostracan material was collected from the North Atlantic Ocean and North and Baltic seas. Relatively extensive collections exist from the coast of Sweden, the United Kingdom and from the deeper waters of the Rockall Trough. Many European institutions therefore house type material for a number of leptostracan taxa. Collectively, the museums listed above originally held type material for 12 of the 34 known species.
We will visit these institutions to study material in their collections, not only the Leptostraca but also any xanthid crab or conchostracan specimens of interest.
The type series of Nebalia ilheoensis Kensley, 1976, and Nebalia marerubi Wägele, 1983, are both housed at the South African Museum. We are not yet considering travel to this location; however, we will request a loan of the paratype material for Nebalia, as well as unique specimens of other crustaceans that are the subjects of related projects.
Australia is home to several institutions that house relatively large collections of Crustacea. These include the: Australian Museum (Sydney), Northern Territory Museum (Darwin), Queensland Museum (Melbourne), and Western Australian Museum (Perth).
Of all coastlines in the South Pacific Ocean, those of Australia have been best surveyed for leptostracans. Additionally, one researcher, Genefor W. Smith, has published some systematic research on local Leptostraca and continues work on the group.
We have received a loan of specimens from the Northern Territory Museum.
We are unaware of any sizeable collections of Leptostraca that might exist in Asian institutions. Following our first survey, a Japanese researcher from the Toyoma Science Museum (Toyoma) kindly loaned us material for study. We are currently communicating with other biologists in Japan about the possibility of examining material from other Japanese collections.
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