Collections
Introduction to collections
R37394 Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea.
R97776 Heath Frog Litoria littlejohni.
R123503 Tree Dtella Gehyra variegata.
R142825 Myall Snake Suta suta.
Red-tailed Shiny Skink Sigaloseps ruficauda .
Australian Museum Herpetology Collection.
The Herpetology collection comprises approximately 162,000 individual specimens. Reptiles are the major group represented - more than two thirds of the total collection. Lizards make up around two thirds of all reptiles, a feature that reflects the richness (in terms of number of species) of this group of reptiles. General coverage of the Australian species is high with approximately 90% of all known Australian species represented in the collection. Some reptile groups are particularly well represented. These groups tend to reflect research interests at various times throughout the history of the Herpetology section. There are comprehensive holdings of Australian scincid lizards, particularly genera in which patterns of limb reduction are evident. These are the result of Dr Allen Greer's research on this topic. There is also a significant collection of sea snakes, which were, and still are, one of the primary areas of research of Dr Hal Cogger, former Curator in Herpetology and past Deputy Director of the Museum. The amphibian collection although significantly smaller in terms of overall numbers is extensive in its coverage of species, both at a national and broader Australasian level. It also contains representatives of most species of frogs that have recently become extinct in eastern Australia.
At a regional level the collection is primarily Australian based with over a third of the collection from New South Wales. Major strengths outside of New South Wales include, collections from biodiversity 'hotspots' in northern Australia such as: the Kimberly region of north-western Western Australia; the Alligator Rivers region (Kakadu) of the Northern Territory; and Cape York Peninsula. There are also extensive collections from elsewhere in the Pacific region, most notably from New Guinea, Fiji, and New Caledonia.
The Herpetology collection contains a number of primary types (549) and secondary types (3466), including a number of types designated by early workers in herpetology (Dene Fry, De Vis), but the majority are from taxonomic revisions conducted in the past 25 years.
The majority of the collection is ethanol stored, although there are skeletal preparations (dry skulls and skeletons or alizarin stained) of select taxa. These special preparations were generally representative specimens from groups of reptiles or amphibians that were the subject of current or past research interests of the Herpetology section. There is also an extensive collection of radiograph X-rays, the taxa represented again reflecting current research projects.
The collection data are fully computerised, with an annual acquisition rate of between 1,500 - 2,500 specimens. Quality of the database in terms of curatorial effort tends to reflect current user demands. For this reason the New South Wales component of the database has been a priority and most location records have been allocated grid coordinates (latitude and longitude) and updated identifications at varying scales of accuracy.
Associated with the specimen collection is an extensive tissue collection of almost 10,000 individual samples. This collection has been built up over the past 10 years on an ad hoc basis as fresh specimens have been acquired. As a result its content has a strong New South Wales bias as most field research and opportunistic acquisition of specimens in recent years originates from there. However, it also contains samples from field research conducted in northern Australia, New Guinea, and the south-west Pacific Islands. Access to the reptile and amphibian tissue collection is via the Evolutionary Biology Unit, and all inquiries should be directed through this section.
The Herpetology section also houses books and journals, as part of the Australian Museum Research Library, dealing with all aspects of herpetology, and has an extensive collection of reprints or photocopied articles.
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2002
