The Osteological Fish Collection

The osteological fish collection is a working collection created primarily for the needs of teaching, in order to expand students’ knowledge in the field of fish morphology.  The originator of the idea was Prof. Dr. Sc.  Zvonimir Kozarić, whose work was continued by Associate Prof. Dr. Sc. Snježana Kužir. With the development of archaeozoological research the collection is also used as comparative material for identification of bones from archaeological sites.

Over the course of time samples have been included in the collection which were part of various research projects, which resulted in multidisciplinary degree theses, scientific articles and dissertations.  The entire collection has been catalogued in a computer program, together with information about the species, the total length and mass of individual animals, and the date and location of sampling. In recent times, special notes have been added to the samples, and also X-ray imaging.  Today the collection contains more than 200 complete or partial skeletons of healthy, but also pathologically altered freshwater and sea fish.  As such, it is unique in the Republic of Croatia.

With the help of scientists from the Institute of Biology and Pathology of Fish and Bees, and the Institute for Radiology, Ultrasound Diagnostics and Physical Therapy, the collection will be supplemented with new osteological material from animals from various parts of the world.

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