About

The INHS Herpetology collection houses two collections:

• The INHS Amphibian and Reptile Collection
• The University of Illinois Museum of Natural History Amphibian and Reptile Collection

INHS Amphibian and Reptile Collection

The INHS Collection contains about 40,000 catalogued specimens, representing 55 families and more than 550 species. About 75% of the material comes from Illinois, reflecting the efforts of Phil W. Smith, whose surveys between 1935 and 1949 formed the basis of his 1961 publication, “The Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois.”

Beyond Illinois, specimens come from 45 other U.S. states as well as Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Highlights include collections by P.W. Smith (California and Mexico), S.A. Minton (Pakistan, Mexico, and Texas), and R.W. Larimore (Thailand).

Search the INHS Amphibian and Reptile Collection’s database.

University of Illinois Museum of Natural History Amphibian and Reptile Collection

The UIMNH Amphibian and Reptile Collection includes nearly 100,000 catalogued specimens, making it among the largest herpetology collections in North America. Its holdings are especially strong for Mexico, with additional specimens from the United States, Canada, Ecuador, Cuba, the Philippines, and Venezuela. Approximately 2,000 type specimens, including more than 170 primary types, are part of the collection.

Read more about the UIMNH Amphibian and Reptile Collection.

Non-Specimen Based Resources

In addition to preserved specimens, the INHS Herpetology Collection manages frozen tissue collections, databases, and a digital image archive that support research and identification.

Read more about non-specimen-based collections.

Learn More

Curious about the science behind these collections? Learn more about the study of amphibians and reptiles by visiting our What is Herpetology? page.