Short Description
The 1st Zoological Department (Vertebrate Department) of the Natural History Museum Vienna is a central scientific institution dedicated to the study of vertebrate fauna. Its main research areas include taxonomy, systematics, phylogeny, as well as biodiversity and evolutionary research.
The department curates extensive scientific collections, including the Mammal, Bird, and Fish Collections, the Herpetological Collection, and the Archaeozoological Collection. These are complemented by the Zoological Preparation unit as well as the Model and Diorama Construction unit. With a total holding of more than 1.2 million objects, the Vertebrate Department ranks among the most significant museum vertebrate collections worldwide.
Important research resources also include specialized reference libraries and faunistic databases, which provides an essential basis for scientific research and conservation projects.
The collections are curated by scientific curators whose expertise contributes to numerous national and international research initiatives as well as nature and species conservation projects.
Contact Person
Dr. Silke Schweiger
Research Services
Repository for type material.
Reference specimens for research.
Vertebrate identification (upon request).
DNA analyses of tissue samples (upon request).
High resolution photographs (upon request).
Model constructions (upon request).
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
The research and working focus is on vertebrate systematics, including faunal-zoogeographical, morphological, anatomical, physiological, embryological, taxonomical, molecular-genetical, chorological, ecological and ethological field and laboratory studies, as well as the determination of bone fragments from archaeological excavations.
The Department’s equipment includes:
• stereomicroscopes:
- Zeiss SteREO Discovery.V8 (objective S Achromat 0.5x and 0.3x) with camera Axiocam 208 color (image & video) [Fish Collection].
- Wild Heerbrugg M5 & M5A [Fish Collection].
- Leica Wild M8 ZOOM [Mammal Collection].
- Leica Wild M 420, Leica M50, Zeiss Stemi SV11 [Herpetological Collection].
• Portable HQ40d meter, Hach company, for conductivity, oxygen, pH and temperature measurements. [Herpetological Collection].
• Spectrometer Jaz, Ocean Optics company [Bird Collection].
• Photo station, Nikon Z 6II, NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4S und NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.86 [Fish Collection].
Equipment
- 1st Zoological Department/Vertebrates/Taxidermy
- 1st Zoological Department/Vertebrates/Mammals
- 1st Zoological Department/Vertebrates/Herpetological Collection
- 1st Zoological Department/Vertebrates/Bird Collection
- 1st Zoological Department/Vertebrates/Fish Collection
- 1st Zoological Department/Vertebrates/Archaeological-Zoological Collection
- 1st Zoological Department/Vertebrates/Model Making and Diorama Building
Austrian Armed Forces
Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Germany
Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CMESS), University of Vienna, Austria
CIBIO – BioPolis, Porto, Portugal
Department for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Austria
Department of Animal Science, University of Zagreb
Department of Archaeologies, University of Innsbruck
Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna
Department of Ichthyology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (ANS), Philadelphia, USA
DGHT German Society for Herpetology and Terraristics
DiSSCo
Institute of Fisheries and Marine Ecology, Berdyansk, Ukraine
JURASSICA Museum, Porrentruy, Switzerland
Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels, Bonn, Germany
MA 22, Vienna
Museu de Zoologia - Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil
Museum Alexander König, Bonn
NP Neusiedlersee/Seewinkel
ÖGH Austrian Society for Herpetology
Schönbrunn Zoo, Vienna
SEH Societas Europaea Herpetologica
Turtle Island, Graz