Vertebrate Zoology

Herpetology

The herpetology collection in the Peabody’s Division of Vertebrate Zoology is worldwide in scope, with over 23,000 specimens and specimen lots of amphibians (over 300 taxa) and reptiles (more than 1,300 taxa). Holdings include 95 type specimens of 8 taxa in both wet and osteological collections.

Most specimens were collected after the 1930s, and recent expeditions have added significantly to the collection. Additionally, field collecting in New England and elsewhere in the United States has improved the taxonomic diversity of the North American holdings. New England collections include specimens from the Maine Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project, as well as from the Connecticut Amphibian Monitoring Project (in which the Yale Peabody Museum is a partner institution).

Specimens collected in the 19th century were not preserved with formalin, and so are suitable today for research techniques such as DNA sequencing. Often these specimens represent locality records that no longer exist, making them valuable for the study of systematic, phylogenetic, population and biogeographical patterns.

The Yale Peabody Museum’s collections are available to legitimate researchers for scholarly use. Loans are issued to responsible individuals at established institutions. Loans and access to the collection can be arranged through the Collections Manager.

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Mailing Address

Division of Vertebrate Zoology
Peabody Museum of Natural History
Yale University
P.O. Box 208118
New Haven, CT 06520-8118 USA

Shipping Address

Division of Vertebrate Zoology
Peabody Museum of Natural History
Yale University
170–210 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06511 USA
 
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