Beiträge des Zoologischen Forschungsmuseums A. Koenig (ZFMK, Bonn) zur Herpetologie der Neotropis

The Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK) in Bonn, founded in 1900, is not only
the youngest of the major natural history museums in Germany, but also has a herpetological section that was established only in 1951. For 25 years, its amphibian and reptile holdings were mainly Palaearctic and Afrotropical. It was only the acquisition of the old, historically extremely valuable herpetological collection of the Zoological Museum of the University of Göttingen that added, aside from numerous invaluable historical type specimens, relevant material from the Neotropical realm to the ZFMK and thus contributed significantly to its now global geographical scope. From 1988, a herpetological working group has been emerging at the ZFMK that sees numerous graduate students
visit tropical countries to work on their theses. These biodiversity-orientated research projects have also been adding new voucher material in substantial volumes to the collection, including specimens from Central and South America. By now, 17 diploma and 7 doctoral theses on Neotropical herpetology (Costa Rica, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile) have been completed. A recent acquisition of South American material came in the shape of the unique, large collection of Brazilian amphibians and reptiles collected by the late Prof. Dr. Paul Müller that he donated to the ZFMK in 2009. It ensures that Neotropical herpetology will continue to play an important role at the ZFMK in future.