Brachiopoda collection of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences

This dataset provides information for 3235 Brachiopoda specimens held within the Ocean Benthic Fauna collection (collection code: OBFc) in the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology (IORAS). Collected from 1852 unique locations across the World Ocean, these specimens represent a 100-year record of Brachiopoda biodiversity, with sampling beginning in 1924.

The IORAS Brachiopoda collection, due to its high species diversity, is a valuable resource for researchers. Broad taxonomic representation provides critical baseline data that fundamentally advance our understanding of brachiopod distribution patterns, ecological niches, and historical biogeography. The collection thus directly supports a wide range of disciplinary research, including taxonomy and phylogenetics, species identification and description, and the study of large-scale macroecological patterns in global marine ecosystems.

A comprehensive revision and digitization of the complete Brachiopoda collection of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology has yielded a detailed dataset on specimen distribution across geographic, bathymetric, and taxonomic categories. The project prioritized the documentation and imaging of the type specimens. This new dataset is a significant scientific resource for taxonomy, biodiversity, and biogeography; this data enhances our understanding of marine biodiversity and the distribution patterns of Brachiopoda throughout various oceanic regions and depth zones.