Herpetology Collection

The herpetological collection of the SNSD contains approximately 50,000 specimens, among them 446 type specimens (25 holotypes, 1 syntype, 419 paratypes, and 1 paralectotype) representing 72 taxa.

Caudata, Testudines , and Ophidia are among the most strongly represented taxa but important specimens of other taxonomic groups, such as amphibians and reptiles from largely underrepresented biogeographic regions (e.g. the Guiana Shield region of South America and the Southeast Asian countries Laos and Vietnam) have complemented the collection in recent years.

Today, the herpetology division of the SNSD also houses an exceptional osteological collection of turtles that is unique in terms of taxa covered and scope, i.e. specimens mainly designated for comparative morphological and phylogenetic research of fossil and extant taxa.

Notice: no loan of osteological specimens, accessible only upon request 

A list of specimens can be accessed using our online database (SeSam) and parts of the collection have been made available as digitalized version within a global network of herpetological collections (HerpNET). A commented type catalogue is available as print version.

FULL SPECIMEN DATA AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. PLEASE CONTACT US !