Paco Cardenas

Curator at Music and Museums; Museum of Evolution; Zoology

Telephone:
+46 18 471 27 45
E-mail:
paco.cardenas@em.uu.se
Visiting address:
Villavägen 9
752 36 Uppsala
Postal address:
Norbyvägen 16
752 36 Uppsala

Download contact information

ORCID:
0000-0003-4045-6718

Short presentation

I am in charge of the zoology collections at the Museum of Evolution, including the Linnaean historical collection (animal specimens from Linnaeus' collection or time in Uppsala).

My expertise in taxonomy is in sponges (Porifera), especially in the order Tetractinellida, a worldwide group of Demospongiae, particularly present in the deep-sea.

List of new species and new taxa described by me and collaborators (source: Wikispecies).

iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/pacocardenas

Media

The museum prepares for the 'sixth mass extinction' - to collect giant sum

The Earth faces what some scientists describe as the sixth mass extinction. This means that species are extinct faster than new ones arise. Therefore, the Evolution Museum in Uppsala now wants to grow

https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/uppsala/museet-forbereder-for-sjatte-massutdoendet-ska-samla-in-jattesumma

Eight new deep-sea species of marine sponges discovered

Despite marine sponges being widespread on our planet, their biodiversity and distribution is still poorly known. Even though the Mediterranean Sea is the most explored sea on Earth, a study by Díaz e

https://www.uu.se/en/press/press-releases/2024/2024-03-07-eight-new-deep-sea-species-of-marine-sponges-discovered

Discovery of new marine sponges supports hypothesis on animal evolution

A completely new order of marine sponges has been found by researchers at the Museum of Evolution, Uppsala University. The sponge order, named Vilesida, produces substances that could be used in drug

https://www.uu.se/en/press/press-releases/2025/2025-12-02-discovery-of-new-marine-sponges-supports-hypothesis-on-animal-evolution

Hunting for new species where no human has been before

What kinds of organisms exist on the seabed between Norway and Greenland? An expedition is currently underway in which researchers, in collaboration with Greenpeace, are attempting to identify unknown

https://www.uu.se/en/news/2026/2026-05-22-hunting-for-new-species-where-no-human-has-been-before

Fields of sponges discovered in the deep sea – “never seen before”

https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/falt-av-svampdjur-upptackta-i-djuphavet-hade-aldrig-sett-forut

Discovered a “tropical forest” on the seabed

Several thousand metres down in the deep sea, researchers led by Paco Cárdenas discovered sponges that are likely to be entirely new to science. The biodiversity was surprising, as was the heavy swell

https://www.uu.se/nyheter/2026/2026-10-19-upptackte-en-tropisk-skog-pa-havets-botten

Publications

Selection of publications

Recent publications

All publications

Articles in journal

Articles, review/survey

Manuscripts (preprints)

Reports