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Holotype Collection

The holotype, Paranthropus boisei (Zinjanthropus) cranium (OH5), is a significant fossil specimen that provides valuable insights into human evolution

Background imageHolotype Collection: Paranthropus boisei (Zinjanthropus) cranium (OH5)

Paranthropus boisei (Zinjanthropus) cranium (OH5)
Cast of the cranium of a young male of Paranthropus boisei discovered by Mary Leakey in 1959 at Olduvai Gorge. The specimen which is the Holotype of Zinjanthropus boisei (Leakey 1959)

Background imageHolotype Collection: Picture No. 10870743

Picture No. 10870743
Mountain Gorilla Skull - holotype 1902, Museum fur Natuurkunde, Berlin (Gorilla g. beringei) Date:

Background imageHolotype Collection: Skull of Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei), holotype 1902, Museum fur Natuurkunde

Skull of Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei), holotype 1902, Museum fur Natuurkunde, Berlin, discovered by Captain Robert von Beringe, Virunga Volcanoes, Rwanda, Africa

Background imageHolotype Collection: Oligoryzomys victus, St. Vincent pygmy rice rat

Oligoryzomys victus, St. Vincent pygmy rice rat (holotype). Catalogue reference NHM 1897.12.26.1)

Background imageHolotype Collection: Hyla nasuta, rocket frog

Hyla nasuta, rocket frog
BMNH 1947.2.22.81, formerly 1936.12.3.192. F, adult. Spirit specimen. Collected by John Gilbert at Port Essington [1840-1841]. Designated holotype of Pelodytes nasutus Gray, 1842

Background imageHolotype Collection: Megalomys luciae, saint lucia giant rice rat (holotype)

Megalomys luciae, saint lucia giant rice rat (holotype). Catalogue number NHM 1853.12.16.2

Background imageHolotype Collection: Pharnacia kirbyi, stick insect

Pharnacia kirbyi, stick insect
A holotype specimen of a stick insect from Borneo. The head and body measures 13 inches long

Background imageHolotype Collection: Homo heidelbergensis mandible casts (Mauer 1 and Swartkrans)

Homo heidelbergensis mandible casts (Mauer 1 and Swartkrans)
The larger mandible is a cast from Homo heidelbergensis and was discovered by workmen at Mauer sand-pit, Germany in 1907. The smaller is of a mandible discovered in Swartkrans, South Africa

Background imageHolotype Collection: Oliver Crimmen with Pseudoscarus lepidus specimen

Oliver Crimmen with Pseudoscarus lepidus specimen
Oliver Crimmen, curator at the Natural History Museum, London. Specimen featured is a parrotfish, holotype, Tahiti, collected by Charles Darwin on the Beagle voyage

Background imageHolotype Collection: Paranthropus boisei (based on OH5)

Paranthropus boisei (based on OH5)
Illustration by Maurice Wilson of a three-quarter view of Paranthropus boisei, a robust australopithecus which lived in Southern and Eastern Africa

Background imageHolotype Collection: Lophognathus gilberti, gilberts dragon

Lophognathus gilberti, gilberts dragon
Designated holotype of Lophognathus gilberti, gilbert?s dragon. Catalogue number BMNH 1946.8.28.69 (XXIII.44ce). M. Spirit specimen. rnPort Essington [collected 1838-1849]

Background imageHolotype Collection: Epinephelus quoyanus, longfin grouper

Epinephelus quoyanus, longfin grouper
Epinephelus quoyanu, longfin grouper. Holotype of Serranus gilbertii Richardson, BMNH 1843.6.15.59, collected at Black Point, Port Essington

Background imageHolotype Collection: Apogon aprion, mouth almighty

Apogon aprion, mouth almighty
Type specimens of Apogon aprion, mouth almighty. Holotype BMNH 1972.6.8.1

Background imageHolotype Collection: Chelmon marginalis, margined coralfish

Chelmon marginalis, margined coralfish. Holotype BMNH 1843.6.15.48, from Coral Bay, Port Essington (dried specimen)

Background imageHolotype Collection: Homo neanderthalensis (calpicus) cranium (Gibraltar 1)

Homo neanderthalensis (calpicus) cranium (Gibraltar 1)
Frontal view of an adult female Neanderthal cranium discovered at Forbes Quarry, Gibraltar. Its discovery was announced by Lieutenant Flint in 1848 and it is believed to be 50, 000 years old

Background imageHolotype Collection: Dipsas sp

Dipsas sp
Plate 10, a holotype from Arhtur MacGregors Hans Sloane, 1994. Shell specimens showing Sir Hans Sloanes catalogue numbers

Background imageHolotype Collection: 1840 click beetle ex Hope Westwood colln

1840 click beetle ex Hope Westwood colln
1840 click beetle collected by F.W. Hope that formed part of the Oxford Museum founding entomology collection until deaccession


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The holotype, Paranthropus boisei (Zinjanthropus) cranium (OH5), is a significant fossil specimen that provides valuable insights into human evolution. This picture, numbered 10870743, captures the remarkable features of this ancient hominin skull. In contrast to the OH5 cranium, we also have the holotype of the Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei) from 1902 at the Museum fur Natuurkunde. This skull serves as a reference point for understanding these majestic creatures and their unique adaptations. Moving away from primates, we encounter other fascinating holotypes like Oligoryzomys victus, a St. Vincent pygmy rice rat. These small rodents play an essential role in their ecosystem and are crucial for scientific research on biodiversity. Nature never ceases to amaze us with its diversity; take Hyla nasuta, commonly known as the rocket frog. Its distinctive long snout sets it apart from other amphibians and makes it an intriguing subject for study. Another captivating creature is Pharnacia kirbyi, a stick insect species renowned for its incredible camouflage abilities. The detailed examination of this they are reveal secrets about mimicry and adaptation in insects. Shifting our focus back to mammals, we come across Megalomys luciae—the saint lucia giant rice rat—represented by multiple holotypes. These specimens provide invaluable information about extinct Caribbean rodents and contribute to our understanding of island biogeography. Similarly, Megalomys desmarestii represents another antillean giant rice rat species through its holotype specimen. By studying these fossils meticulously preserved in museums worldwide, scientists gain insights into past ecosystems and evolutionary processes. Lastly but not least important are Homo heidelbergensis mandible casts such as Mauer 1 and Swartkrans which shed light on our own ancestral lineage's development over time.