Oklahoma’s Herpetology Collection
Roughly 60 percent of the museum’s herpetology collection is made up of Oklahoma specimens, making it the largest repository of Oklahoma amphibians and reptiles found anywhere in the state. The collection’s full geographic diversity covers 46 U.S. states and 54 countries. Among those countries, the collection preserves large holdings of foreign specimens for Latin American nations like Brazil and Nicaragua, as well as rare collections from Egypt and regions like the Galapagos. The collection includes a handful of species new to science, which offer rare opportunities for researchers and educators to study the development of life. In addition to physical specimens, the collection preserves records and field notebooks from researchers spanning over 60 years. These archival materials are stored in print and digital formats in the Charles C. Carpenter Herpetology Library and contain audio and visual material referenced by regional and international herpetologists. The herpetology collection continues to grow with the acquisition of specimens from Southeast Asia and selected areas of Oklahoma.
Learn More
Discover the stories, archives, history and people behind the collection. Our Collection Resource Hub brings together everything you need to begin research and engagement with our herpetology staff.
