Collections Unravelled: an annotated catalogue of Antipatharia (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia) type material in Naturalis Biodiversity Center

We present an annotated catalogue of Antipatharia (black corals) type material, housed at Naturalis Biodiversity Center, unifying the historically separate holdings of the former Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie and the Zoological Museum of Amsterdam. Following a recent re-inventory, all relevant specimens were located and examined to verify catalogue numbers, type status, preservation condition and associated documentation. The collection comprises more than 750 specimens representing 118 species, with name-bearing type material for 59 taxa, including both species and historical infraspecific names. The oldest material dates to the early nineteenth century and the collection is particularly rich in Indo-Pacific specimens, especially from major expeditions to Indonesia, as well as material from the Caribbean and eastern Atlantic. The catalogue documents changes in catalogue numbering, clarifies the status of type fragments and highlights gaps and uncertainties resulting from historical collecting and curation practices. By providing verified and accessible type data, this work supports taxonomic revision, nomenclatural stability and future comparative research, based on the Naturalis collections.