Biological Collections – Discover Natural History

Crocodile and alligator skulls set next to each other to show the difference is size and shape.

Museum Collection

Amphibians & Reptiles (Herpetology)

The largest herpetology collection in the southeastern United States & among the largest in North America.

A row of bird specimens in a scientific collection with hand written specimen tags. Some birds are a vibrant blue and black, others are a muted pale green.

Museum Collection

Birds (Ornithology)

Approximately the fifth largest bird collection in the world, this collection contains bird skins, bird eggs, and bird sounds.

Small blue and grey butterfly sitting on s stem with green leaves.

Museum Collection

Butterflies & Moths (Lepidoptera)

This collection contains more than 10 million specimens, widely used by a global community of students and scientists.

Closeup of a cleared and stained fish specimen in shades of blue and maroon.

Museum Collection

Fishes & Sharks (Ichthyology)

This collection contains approximately 2,450,650 specimens, representing more than 9,000 species.

Bear skull with large teeth photographed on a white background.

Museum Collection

Mammals (Mammalogy)

This collection contains over 38,000 specimens, including rodents, bats, marine mammals, and the only significant collection of Florida Panthers.

Pale squat lobster specimen photographed on a white background.

Museum Collection

Marine Invertebrates (Invertebrate Zoology)

This collection holds animals other than vertebrates, including sponges, corals, worms, mollusks, arthropods, echinoderms, and chordates.

Cactus specimens pressed on a herbarium sheet.

Museum Collection

Plants (Botany/Herbarium)

The University of Florida Herbarium is the oldest and largest in Florida with approximately 500,000 specimens.