Herpetology – amphibians and reptiles

The herpetology collection dates from the 1740s and is rich in historical items, including Linnean types.

Aga Toad, Photo: P. Nilsson

The collection comes from all over the world and includes representatives of many of the currently recognized families. Although we have a fair representation of Swedish amphibians and reptiles, the national herpetofauna is poor and the major part of the collection represents tropical and subtropical regions. Noteworthy are the Colombian and Ecuadorian collections made by Kjell von Sneidern and Rolf Blomberg, the Indochinese collections made by René Malaise and others, as well as the Gambian collections made by G. Svensson, B. Rudebeck, A. G. Johnels, R. Olssons and B. Afzelius.

About expeditions to Gambia:
Gambia 1931
Gambia 1950

The herpetology collection includes about 50 000 specimens in 10 000 lots and about 2000 of these lots have been computer catalogued in the Herpetology database. Most of the specimens are preserved in alcohol but there are also a few mounted skeletons and skins. The type collection is fairly small and includes mainly species described by L. G. Andersson, C. Linnaeus, E. Lönnberg and H. Rendahl.
Herpetology database external link, opens in new window