Mollusca collection

This collection is the richest and the most significant mollusc collection in Hungary. According to the 10 x 10 km resolution of UTM system 1,052 cells cover our county. We have data of mollusc of more than half of the these cells. This information also forms the basis of the Hungarian National Mollusc Database, maintainance and development of which belongs to the most important tasks of the Mollusca Collection.
Along with traditions and opportunities, our research activity keeps focusing on Europe, more specifically on the taxonomic and faunistic exploration of the Carpathian Basin and the Balkans.

Mollusca collection's history

Staff
Senior Curator: Andrea Tőke
Deputy curator: 

Collection size
Total number of specimens: over 100,000 items (ca. half of them  from Hungary and 49,500 from abroad), comprising approximately 1,000,000 specimens.
Number of types: holotypes of 190 species, neotype of one species and further 900 para-, paralecto and syntype lots (ca. 6,000 specimens) are stored here.
Number of species: There are species of approximately 1,500 genera. The families Clausiliidae, Cochlostomatidae, Helicidae and Zonitidae are especially well represented.

Remarkable collections

Collections of Gyula Kovács and István Pintér
They have been our largest collections since 1956.  These private materials were added to our collection via pruchase from Gyula Kovács and donation by István Pintér.

Collection of  Richard von Kimakowicz
The collection, which was donated by Richard von Kimakowicz in the 1960s is extraordinary from a scientific point of view. It contains species from Transsylvania, including an original series of several species described by the benefactors, Mauritz von Kimakowicz and Eduard Albert Bielz. 

Availability
Our materials are stored according to collecting units. In addition to the cadastral records, each unit has an accession number which is registered in our digital database. Information of the items is available by searching the accession number, names of species (subspecies), type, descriptor, country, locality, date of collecting and the collector's name. Hungarian data can also be searched according to the UTM grid cell as well.

Hungarian data gives the basis of the National Mollusc Database developed by László Pintér , containing locality records of other significant Hungarian private and public collections. Information in The National Mollusc Database are available searching by the name of species, locality and the UTM grid cell.

The collection is open for visitors by appointment only.

Collection materials are available for loan and scientific examination by external researchers.

To discuss any of your requests, please contact our curator toke.andrea@nhmus.hu

Research loans
Loan policy statement (PDF)
Loan agreement (DOC)

On-site examination
Terms and Conditions (PDF)
Research permit form (DOC)