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The Zoology Museum

There are two types of collections in the Department of Life Sciences Zoology Museum: The Zoology Teaching Collection and the Zoology Research Collection.

The Zoology Teaching Collection supports the practical requirement of the Undergraduate Zoology courses during the academic year and consists of the following:

The Vertebrate Collection, which contains representatives of all the major classes:

• The Fish Collection, which is quite extensive, with representatives of both marine and fresh water species. The collection continues to grow through the addition of field-collected specimens from the undergraduate practical sessions and field trips.
  
• The Amphibian Collection, which contains juvenile stages of at least four (4) Anuran specimens including the distinctive Pseudis paradoxus tadpole. The Apoda and Urodela are less well represented, with the former group having only one (1) representative Dermorphis sp.
  
• The Reptilian Collection, which has a predominance of snakes, with eighteen (18) present. There are also eggs and hatchlings of the endangered Leatherback turtle, Dermochelys sp. present in this collection. There is also one (1) Amphisbaena sp.
  
• The Avian Collection, is lacking in good specimens. Those that are present have lost most of their plumage from wear and tear in the teaching laboratory. There are several stuffed and dry-mounted specimens, including two (2) duck species, the Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) and some Passerine species.
  
• The Mammalian Collection, which is marked by a large assemblage of skeletal, jaw systems, which highlight the varied dietary types of mammals. Whole mounted skeletons of the Mole, Pig and Man also enhance the collection. Stuffed whole mounts of several local and foreign mammals are also present. Quite recently, the collection was embellished with the addition of skull reproductions of the proposed earlier ancestors of man, Australopitheus specie, a gift from a visiting research scientist, Dr Judy St. Omer. Also in our collection is the excavated remains of Trinidad's oldest resident - The Banwari Man

Both the Avian and the Mammalian Collections double for reference and teaching purposes.

The Invertebrate Collection, which covers most phyla, ranging from the Porifera to the Echinodermata.

Staff contact: Dr Dawn Phillip

Technician: Mrs Savitree Rattan