The
MVZ collection of amphibians and reptiles contains over 243,000 catalogued
specimens. As of 8 April 2004, 123 of these have been designated holotypes,
three are neotypes, three are syntypes, and 1793 are paratypes and paratopotypes.
The oldest amphibian specimens date to 1876 and the oldest reptiles
to 1861.
Most
specimens are fluid-preserved, but the collection also contains skeletal
preparations, sets of amphibian eggs and larvae, and several thousand
specimens that have been cleared and stained. Other special collections
include pineal organs, 800 sectioned heads, a series of dried anuran
skins from California and Argentina, and stomach contents that have
been removed from more than 3,000 predatory reptiles.
Whereas
the collection contains representatives from every continent, it is
especially strong in its holdings from western North America and has
important series from Latin America and from eastern and central Asia.
Taxonomically, the collection contains representatives of every Amphibian
and Reptile Order. Among Amphibians, approximately 87% of families and
53% of genera are represented. Among Reptiles, about 90% of families
and 65% of genera are represented.
The collections are commonly used for systematics, teaching, ecological studies using stomach contents, and reproductive studies. Other uses include comparative anatomy, locomotion, and zooarchaeology.
