Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 101. (Budapest 2009)

Pálfy, J.: Review of invertebrate and vertebrate paleontological types in the collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Volume 10

1 Budapest, 200

9 pp. 5-22 Review of invertebrate and vertebrate paleontological types in the collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum J. PÁLFY Hungarian Natural History Museum, Department of Paleontology and Geology, and Hungarian Academy of Sciences-Hungarian Natural History Museum, Research Group for Paleontology, H-1431 Budapest, POB 137, Hungary. E-mail: palfy@nhmus.hu Abstract - The Hungarian Natural History Museum recently published a catalogue of invertebrate and vertebrate type specimens in its collection. This listing, which contains 2,017 inventory lots and 1,181 fossil species-group taxa, is analyzed here. Ranking of authors and distribution of types by year of description, taxonomic groups, geologic age, geographic and stratigraphie origin are annotated. Most of the observed patterns are correlated with the scientific activities of the most productive authors. Key areas of strengths of the type collection include Paleogene foraminifers, Paleogene and Neogene molluscs and decapod crustaceans, and Quaternary mammals. Taxonomic revisions have been ongoing and more work is needed on some parts of the collection. The catalogue supersedes the relevant part of a previous listing compiled by BODA and published in 1964, and significantly surpasses its information content. With 14 figures. Key words - Type specimens, catalogue, invertebrate paleontology, vertebrate paleontology, revision. INTRODUCTION Type specimens constitute the scientifically most valuable part of any paleontological collection. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) (INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON ZOOLOGICAL NOMENCLATURE 1999) clearly outlines the responsibilities of public collections with regards to primary and secondary type specimens. Every effort should be made to properly curate and store these specimens and make them available to the wider scientific community. The Department of Paleontology and Geology of the Hungarian Natural History Museum .V Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 101, 2009