Registry of Biodiversity Institutions, Collections and Databases: Collection

Gbif.es / Registry of Biodiversity Institutions, Collections and Databases / Vertebrate Paleontology Collection

Description

Vertebrate Paleontology Collection at the Spanish National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN) is unique and very specialized service of CSIC, feature fossils of mammals, fishes, birds and amphibians. The Paleontology collection is strongest for Spanish localities, nevertheless, it includes specimens or replicas from Germany, United Kingdom, France, Egypt, Argentina, or United States, coming from donations, collectings, purchasings or interchanges carried out since the end of the 19th century. Some specimens have come from scientists who were at the fore of developing of geology and paleontology as sciences in Spain: Juan Vilanova y Piera, Casiano de Prado, Eduardo Hernández Pacheco, Bermudo Meléndez Meléndez, José Royo-Gómez, or Federico Gómez-Llueca, and are mentioned in scientific papers since the 18thcentury to the present day. We have over 80,000 catalogued specimens of fossil vertebrates, which range all geologic ages, and it is the most important collection of Spanish localities in the world. The collection includes a significant range of Neogene mammals.

Overall information Digitalization Related Resources
Overall information
Strengths

Paleobiology, Taphonomy and Paleontological Heritage: taxonomy, functional morphology, evolution, taphonomy, palaeobiogeography, palaeoecology, biostratigraphy and palaeoclimatology. The research lines deal with the evolution of mammals (including hominids), herpetology and archosaurs. Catalogue specimen, collection management and conservation techniques. The collection is mainly integrated by Cenozoic macro and microfossil from the Iberian Peninsula.

How to cite

Vertebrate Paleontology Collection. National Museum of Natural Sciences.

Usage restrictions

Types, figured, specimens of high historical significance, and some other specimens, must be studied in situ.
When specimens are sent to borrowers: forwarding of loans to third parties is not allowed without prior written approval of the lending institution; no changes to original labels are allowed; no changes to specimens or any other material are allowed without permission (including pedestals/armatures, sheets, etc. to which the specimen is fixed); annotations by the borrower should not be permanently attached but provided otherwise, preferably electronically or by determination slips, labels or other hard copy means; if an object is damaged, the owner must be informed immediately, no repairs are allowed without consultation with the owning institution.
Taking and publishing photos of material on loan is only allowed after written approval by the lending institution. Reference to photos of specimens on loan must be forwarded to the lending institution and linked to the objects, e.g. in separate letter or in a collection database according to guidelines provided by lending institution. Photos will become available to the owning institution.

Access restrictions

Only approved scientifics/borrowers can access to specimens for research purposes. Approved scientifics/borrowers must be bona fide researchers; in case of postgraduate students, postdoctoral researchers, emeritus and retired staff, honorary or adjunct staff etc request must be made through their supervisor, mentor, or responsible staff in charge, preferably a single person of position such as the head of collection management.

Taxonomic coverage
Scientific names

Amphibia, Aves, Mammalia, Pisces, Reptilia.

Common names

Vertebrates.

Collection period

s. XIX, s. XVIII.

Types of datasets

Fossil.

Digitalization
Nº of copies / records

380.000

Documentation status

In electronic and paper form.

Nº of species

520

Percentage of computerization

75%

Does it include Type specimens?

Sí

Related Resources
Publications
  • Mémoires de la Societé Geologique de la France, n.s.,165:13-15, 1994
  • Europal, 3: 33-34, 1993
  • Geogaceta, 3:61-63, 1987
  • Paleontología y Sociedad, 1992, pp. 69-85, ISBN: 84-604-3022-7
  • Noticias Paleontológicas, 20: 31-32, 1992
  • Strate, 5: 6-9, 1994
  • Geological and Landscape Conservation (book), pp. 57-61, 1994
  • Graellsia, 53: 37-39, 1997
  • Earth Heritage, 11: 14-15, 1999
  • Museo de Teruel (book), pp. 147-150.
  • Madera del Aire, 1991, pp. 11-33, ISBN: 84-602-0345-8
  • Madrid antes del hombre, 1993, pp. 14, ISBN: 84-451-0615-5
  • Boletín de comunicaciones Histórico-Geológicas de España, vol. 8
  • Muy Interesante, 169:144, 1995
  • El Patrimonio Geológico de la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (book)
  • I Congreso Español de Geología (1984), vol. 1: 377-384, vol. 4:471-474
  • VI Jornadas de Paleontología (Granada, 1990), p. 4+
  • XXI Congreso Nacional de Arqueología (1991), p. 40
  • Terra Nova, Abs. Suppl., 2: 8, 1991
  • Int. Symp. & First World Congr. Preserv. Conserv. Nat. Hist. Coll.(1993),279-284
  • XIX International Congress of History of Science (Zaragoza, 1993), pp. 22-29
  • Second WorldCongr.Preserv.Conserv. Nat.Hist.Collections (Cambridge, 1996), p. 33
  • XIII Jornadas de Paleontología (A Coruña, 1997), pp. 127-129
  • Com. IV reuniónNac. Co.Patrim.Geol., Soc. Geol. España (Teruel, 1998), pp. 29-32
  • I. Jorn. Patrim. Prov. Teruel. Paleont. (Rubielos de Mora, 1998)
  • Actas del Congreso Europeo sobre Itinerarios Culturales y Rutas Temáticas (1998)
  • XV Jornadas de Paleontología (Madrid, 1999)
  • Boletín del Instituto de Estudios Asturianos
  • Patrimonio Paleontológico de la Comunidad de Madrid. Serie Arqueología, Paleont.
  • Temas Geológico-Mineros, 26: 101-102, 1999
  • Seminarios de Paleontología de Zaragoza, vol. 5: 581-586, 2001
  • Congreso Geológico de España (1988), vol. 1: 253-256, vol. 2: 561-564
  • José royo Gómez y los vertebrados fósiles españoles (book)
  • Geogaceta, 9: 137-140, 1991
  • Europal, 2: 33-34, 1992
  • Europal, 4:17-21, 1993
  • Geogaceta, 19: 217-220, 1996
  • Geogaceta, 19:177-180, 1996
  • Noticias Paleontológicas, 27: 38-39, 1996
  • Europal, 10:49, 1996
  • Noticias Paleontológicas, 30: 34-35, 1997
  • Paleontologia i Evolució, 23:9-15, 1989-1990
  • Europal, 4: 46, 1993
  • XXXV Curso de Geología Práctica (Teruel, 2001), pp. 135-163
  • Actas de la Sociedad Española De Historia Natural, 1897
  • Comptes Rendus Académie Des Sciences, 1913
  • Comisión de Investigaciones Paleontológicas Y Prehistóricas, Memoria 5, 1915
  • Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural, 17, 1917
  • Ibérica, 379, 1921
  • Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural, 27, 1927
  • Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural, 30, 1930
  • Estudios Geológicos, Vol. Xiv, 37, 1958
  • Estudios Geológicos, 29, 1973
  • Estudios Geológicos, 30, 1974
  • Estudios Geológicos, 32, 1976
  • Trabajos Neogéno-Quaternario, 8, 1977
  • Bulletin de la Societé Belge de Géologie, 87, 1978
  • Estudios Geológicos, 37, 1981
  • Bulletin du Muséum National d´Histoire Naturelle, 4º Sér., 4, 1982
  • Stvdia Geologica Salmanticensia, Xix, 1983
  • Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 31, 1988
  • Trabajos de Geología, 18, 1989
  • Geobios, 26, 1993
  • Scripta Geol, 103, 1993
  • Graellsia, 53, 1997
  • Arqueología, Paleontología y Etnografía, Nº6, 2000
  • Estudios Geológicos, 59, 2003
  • Zona Arqueológica, 4, (2), 2004
  • Estudios Geológicos, 62 (1), 2006
  • Geology, V.34, Nº 8, 2006
  • Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 29, 4, 2009
  • Lethaia, 2009
  • Zoologica Scripta, 29, 2000
  • Palaios, V. 24, 2009
  • Revista Española de Paleontologia, 24 (2), 2009
  • Notas para la Historia Reciente del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, 2009
  • Palaeontology, 53, 2010
  • Journal of Anatomy, 216, 2010
  • Paleobiology, 37, 2011
  • Las Colecciones del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales. Investigación y Patrimonio. Editorial Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. 2019.
Web Resources
Access to data
  • N/A
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