REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN TYPE SPECIMENS HOUSED IN THE
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF VICTORIA
By A. J. Coventry
Assistant, Vertebrate Department
Introduction
This list is an attempt to locate or account for all Reptile and Amphibian type
specimens which have been, or are believed to have been, lodged in the National
Museum of Victoria. This task has been made difficult by several factors. Some
authors rarely nominated type specimens, but rather listed specimens from par-
ticular localities. In such cases, any specimen of a given taxon which was in the
Museum collections from these localities and available to the author/s is regarded
as having been a syntype. Fortunately, in most instances one specimen has retained
some original identification (e.g. 'figured specimen') which confirms that it was
used to fix the taxon, and accordingly such specimen has been nominated as the
lectotype.
Concerning material collected during the Horn Expedition of 1894, it is
reasonable to assume that, as various States were represented, they each received
representative collections. It is also reasonable to assume that, as Spencer was
Zoologist with the Expedition, Victoria would have retained the bulk of the
zoological material. Spencer's collection was housed jointly at the National Museum
and the University of Melbourne (Zoology and Anatomy Departments). The
remainder of the zoological specimens were probably lodged at Sydney and/or
Adelaide Universities. Unfortunately some of Spencer's material from the Uni-
versity of Melbourne (most of which is now in the National Museum) has been
lost, or become separated from its original labels, making it extremely difficult to
determine types, figured specimens or specimens from given localities.
In an attempt to avoid systematic problems, each taxon is listed alphabetically
under Family. Each Family has then been arranged alphabetically into its respec-
tive Suborder, Order, and Class. The general format follows Cochran 1961, each
taxon being listed with its original reference. In each case the final name listed is
that currently recognized for the taxon.
All specimens are in spirits, and are in at least fair condition unless otherwise
stated.
Class Amphibia
Order Salientia
Family Hylidae
Genus Hyla Laurenti, 1768
Hyla ewingii iuxtaewingii Copland, 1957
Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 82: 60.
= Hyla ewingii V. & B. 1841.
Paratype: D6723, Darby, Wilson's Promontory, Vict., donated J. A.
Kershaw.
Hyla ewingii loveridgei Copland, 1957
See under Hyla ewingii oberonensis Copland.
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