Scorpiones
No. of jars: 2670
No. of species: 452
Types: 140
The LIB collection of scorpions is one of the largest in the world, comprising more than 450 species of which 140 are represented by type specimens. Considering that roughly 1900 species of scorpions are known worldwide, this collection represents a significant repository of global scorpion diversity and is internationally renowned. It is frequently consulted by arachnologists overseas.
The roots of this collection lie in the late 19th century when the former director of the Hamburg Museum, Karl Kraepelin, pioneered in scorpion research and quickly rose to become the ‘father of scorpion research’. He gradually built the collection through collaboration and exchange of material with other famous arachnologists, such as Reginald Pocock and Eugene Simon. Taxonomic research on scorpions continued in Hamburg after World War II and new material is still added to the collection on a regular basis. Biogeographically, it contains specimens from all over the world although more recent acquisitions are primarily from Northern Africa. Significant collections are also available from South America and Asia.
To the catalogues:
- Weidner, H., 1959: Die Entomologischen Sammlungen des Zoologischen Staatsinstituts und Zoologischen Museums Hamburg, I. Teil, Pararthropoda und Chelicerata I. - Mitt. hamb. zool. Mus. Inst., 57: 89-142. [ PDF ]
- Rack, G., 1971: Die Entomologischen Sammlungen des Zoologischen Instituts und Zoologischen Museums Hamburg, I. und II. Teil (Nachtrag), Pararthropoda und Chelicerata. Mitt. hamb. zool. Mus. Inst., 67: 109-133. [ PDF ]