Herpetology

Herpetology (from the Greek herpetón, meaning “snake” or “reptile”) is the branch of zoology that studies reptiles and, by extension, amphibians, that is, all ectothermic tetrapods, commonly referred to as “cold-blooded” animals.

Reptiles and amphibians are in fact very different from one another, both in terms of their anatomical and physiological characteristics and their habitats. This is particularly evident in their skin and the coverings of their eggs: in reptiles, both are thick, rigid and waterproof, adaptations that allow them to thrive even in the driest climates; in amphibians, by contrast, they are thin, soft and highly permeable, and most amphibians require an aquatic or otherwise very humid environment. Traditionally, however, amphibians were long classified among reptiles, which is why the scientific discipline devoted to their study has remained a single field.

The Museum houses a rich herpetological collection comprising almost 3,000 specimens, most of them preserved in liquid (ethanol). The collection consists predominantly of specimens from the Veneto region, especially the historical material collected between the mid-19th and early 20th centuries by researchers such as Alessandro Pericle and Emilio Ninni, Enrico Filippo Trois, Giacomo Bisacco Palazzi and many others.

This material is complemented by numerous other historical and recent specimens, originating mainly from elsewhere in Italy and North Africa, as well as from many other regions of the world. Since the early 2000s, the acquisition of new amphibian and reptile specimens has gained renewed momentum, thanks both to significant donations from contemporary naturalists and herpetologists and to research carried out by the Museum itself, independently or in collaboration with other Italian and international research institutions.

The Museum’s herpetological specimens are regularly used for research and scientific outreach. In recent years, in particular, small portions of some specimens have been used for DNA extraction as part of molecular studies on the phylogeny and biogeography of various amphibian and reptile species.