History of Herpetology Collection

The following museologists worked /work in the Herpetology Collection

Lajos Méhely (1896–1915)
István Bolkay (1909–1911)
Géza Gyula Fejérváry (1916–1932)
Fejérváryné (Lángh Aranka 1917–1924, 1932–1951)
Olivér György Dely (1950–2003)
BeátaÚjvári (1995–2000)
Judit Vörös (2000–)


The first 37 specimens, donated to theHerpetology Collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum, were registered in 1821. Amongst them, a snake-eyed skink and an olm were found, both of them are attributed to Pál Kitaibel.  In the following 135 years, due to our natural scientists, such as János Frivaldszky, Salamon Petényi, Lajos Méhely, István Bolkay, Géza Gyula Fejérváry, Sámuel Fenichel, Lajos Bíró and János Xántus, the collection grew to 40.000 specimens, that preserved 20-25 type-specimens (e.g. Vipera ursinii macrops, Vipera ursinii rakosiensis, Lacerta horvathi, described by Lajos Méhely)  
On the 5th of November, 1956 a bomb fell onto the building of the Department of Zoology, and exploded right in the Herpetology Collection located on the 3rd floor. The 40.000 specimens, including bone collections, fossils, 2000 books and 500 reprints, burnt to ashes.
Due to Olivér György Dely, our collection was rebuilt.  As a result of his devotion, we possess 20 thousand specimens by now mostly  from the Carpathian Basin ,  and a certain amount of material from all over the world.

For more information about historical background  please check the article below:

KORSÓS Z. 2008: History of the Herpetological Collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum – Annaleshistorico-naturalesMuseinationalishungarici100: 37–93. Link to pdf