Hemiptera Collection
In 1992 the Hemiptera Collection has been separated from the combined collections "Orthoptera - Hemiptera - Neuroptera - Insecta varia" and staffed with a curator. The scientific collection contains large amounts of Heteroptera and Auchenorrhyncha as well as a smaller collection of Sternorrhyncha. The majority of the collection consists of dry mounted specimens, but a smaller part is preserved in alcohol. The total number is estimated to be 800.000 specimens. Therefore, the Hemiptera Collection is one of the smaller entities of the 2nd Zoological Department (Entomology) of the Natural History Museum Vienna. However, the Hemiptera Collection contains like other collections a high number (several thounsand), mainly historical type specimens, and is therefore one of the most important collections in the world. E.g., the Heteroptera Collection keeps the major part of the Signoret collection, one of the most active heteropterists of the 19th century.
Beside curatorial work, mainly dealing with an inventory of historical types (type catalogues) and new arrangements of collections,
the scientific work is dedicated to taxonomical, systematical, and zoogeographical research.
Investigations of the curator Dr. Herbert Zettel are concentrating on the aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera (Nepomorpha
and Gerromorpha) of the Oriental Realm. Within these projects several research trips to Southeast Asia have been carried out.
Taxonomical and systematical research is the basis of detailled faunistical and zoogeographical investigations. International
cooperations with universities in Asia and scientists in Europa and America enable steady exchange of knowledge and specimens.
Presently participation in two large scale projects is carried out: "Heteroptera of Thailand" and "Philippine Water Bug Inventory
Project". Beside, taxonomic work is dedicated to the research on the species diversity of Borneos. Herbert Zettel is co-author
of the volume "Nepomorpha and Gerromorpha" in the Fauna Malesiana Handbooks and of keys to the aquatic Heteroptera of West Malaysia and Singapore.
Curator:
Dr. Herbert Zettel
Staff:
Mag. Harald Bruckner (part-time)
Judit Kerschbaumer-Stöckler BSc (part-time)
Associated Scientists :
Mag. Christine HecherDr. Andreas Kahrer
Alice Laciny PhD
Volonteers:
Kerstin Kolkmann, MSc