Zoological Museum Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam (NL) – Herpetology

The collection Herpetology consists of more than 15000 registered specimens: 9500 reptilia (1750 species), 5500 amphibia (880 species). Because most specimens are not individually labeled, the total number in the collection is probably much higher: at least 50,000 specimens. Included are 353 type specimens: 1 cotype, 45 holotypes, 1 neotype, 26 lectotypes, 63 syntypes, 64 paralectotypes, 151 paratypes, 63 syntypes, 2 topotypes. Most of the material has been collected in Indonesia and Suriname. There is a large collection of Chameleons (Hillenius, 1959), Anura from Madagascar (Blommers Schlösser, 1980; Vences, 2005); The European herpetofauna is also well represented, with a focus on the Dutch herpetofauna (A. Zuiderwijk) and European newts (J.W. Arntzen). The herpetologist, the late Dick Hillenius, was the first curator of this collection and between 2002-2005 Miguel Vences curated the herpetology collection. Vences increased the number of specimens from Madagascar and described numerous new species based on ZMA material.