Vertebrates
The long history of the National Museum of Natural History, until 1988 known as the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke History, is especially well represented in the vertebrates. Apart from the significant number of type specimens, osteological samples of 19th century specimens form in important part of the collection. .
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The mammal and bird collections are rich in (sometimes unique) extinct and rare species. The 19th century Madagascar collection of lemurs, collected by Pollen & Van Dam (1860-1870) and Audebert (1870-1880) is of a great beauty and scientific importance as is the osteological collection of dolphins and whales which documents the studies to monitor the decline of cetaceans along the Dutch coast. Significant vertebrate collections are also those of W.C. van Heurn, von Siebold and Bartels, and for the birds specifically those of Wickevoort Crommelin and P.A. Hens which both have a focus on the national avifauna. Temmincks interest in birds of prey is still illustrated in the diversity of this historical collection
The collection of freshwater and marine fishes from the Indonesian archipelago, collected and described by Pieter Bleeker between 1840-1860 is of great scientific importance. Bleeker described 1996 species ranking him as the most productive fish taxonomist ever. His types are in Naturalis. Of more recent date is the collection of Lake Victoria cichlids. This collection of Haplochromine cichlids contains hundreds of undescribed species, some of which recently became extinct as a result of the introduction of the Nile Perch.
The herpetological collection goes largely back to the beginning of the 19th century. It includes material mainly from South East Asia and the Amazonian region, as well as several valuable collections from other localities. The oldest Asian material dates from the1820s, and it was gathered by the Natuurkundige Commissie, a group of naturalists sent to the Dutch East Indies to study and collect animals and plants for the museum, like H. Kuhl, J.C. van Hasselt, H. Boie and H. Macklot. Important collections from Africa (H.S. Pel & H.B. van Horstok), Central and South America (H.H. Dieperink, P. Wagenaar Hummelinck & M.S. Hoogmoed) and Indonesia (F. Kopstein & C.P.J. de Haas) have been added to the museum collection all through the last two centuries. Many new species have been described based on this material, making the RMNH types collection of great scientific significance.
Friday, August 27, 2010