The coelenterate collection is one the least developed in the Division of Invertebrates. It is small and quite sporadic in respect to both taxonomy and geography. Only Hexacorallia are well represented due to voyages of the research vessel "Academic Petrovsky" to Indian Ocean and acquisitions from the Institute of Oceanography. However, they are inadequately curated and even mostly not identified because of absence of experts on the group. As a matter of fact, only specimens displayed in the Museum exhibition are identified to species level.