The Vertebrate Paleontological collection of the Spanish Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC)

Abstract

Since remote times, fossil vertebrates have played a significant part in the collections of the Spanish Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, both in attracting the attention of the public and in the context of research into paleobiodiversity. The research tradition of the Museum’s personnel in Vertebrate Paleontology has built up a reference collection of information on the mammals of the Spanish Neogene. There are important fossils from almost a thousand different localities, some of them of worldwide relevancy. The collection is available for direct study in the Museum’s laboratories as well as through virtual conferences (www), and also being used in temporary exhibitions organized by the Museum itself or by other institutions.