American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History. Department of Ichthyology; Department of Ichthyology; Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology; Department of Living and Extinct Fishes; Department of Fishes; Department of Fishes and Aquatic Biology
birth: 1909
death: present
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries at the American Museum of Natural History, the limited ichthyology collections were shifted between various broad zoological departments. It was not until 1909 that a Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology was formalized, and a further 11 years until an independent Department of Ichthyology was established in 1920. In the years since, Ichthyology has been combined in certain periods with other zoological disciplines and adopted different departmental names, including the Department of Living and Extinct Fishes (1930-1942), the Department of Fishes (1942-1944), the Department of Fishes and Aquatic Biology (1944-1960) and again the Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology (1987-1997).
Since its founding, the Department of Ichthyology has sought to build its specimen collections and scientific knowledge through expeditions and field work, the numbers of which peaked during the 1930s. Expeditions conducted by department staff have largely focused on collecting and research in the Americas and outlying islands. The department has also maintained an active exhibition program since the early 20th century, most significantly in the creation of ichthyological models for the early Hall of Fishes of the World (opened in 1928) and the renovated Hall of Ocean Life (opened in 1969).
1870The American Museum of Natural History acquires the vertebrate collection of Alexander Philipp Maximilian, including 2000 fish, reptile and amphibian specimens, which are initially stored in the Arsenal Building in Central Park (1, 1870 p. 5; 2, p. 95).
1885Zoology is divided into separate departments, and a Department of Marine Zoology under J. B. Holder is established, which also includes reptiles and amphibians (1, 1884-1885 p. 5; 1, 1953 p. 31).
1901The Department of Invertebrate Zoology is given charge of the ichthyology collections (1, 1901 p. 28).
1909 JulyThe Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology is formalized, representing living reptiles and batrachians, and living and extinct fishes (2, p. 8; 1, 1910 p. 36). The department consists of Bashford Dean as Curator, ichthyologists Louis Hussakof and John T. Nichols, and herpetologist Mary Cynthia Dickerson.
1913John T. Nichols founds the scientific journal Copeia (3).
1913Bashford Dean retires as Curator of the department, and is replaced by Louis Hussakof as Curator of Ichthyology from 1914 (1, 1913 p. 60; 1, 1914 p. 34).
1915Louis Hussakof resigns as Curator (1, 1915 p. 35).
1916The first Bibliography of Fishes is completed, compiled by department staff and providing a comprehensive reference to the ichthyological literature (1, 1916 p. 70).
1920 February 2Ichthyology is officially separated from Herpetology, and the Department of Ichthyology is formalized with John T. Nichols in charge (1, 1920 p. 36).
1922The museum introduces department ‘divisions’, with the Department of Ichthyology under the Division of Zoology and Zoogeography (1, 1922 p. 23).
1925William K. Gregory is appointed the new Curator of the Department of Ichthyology (1, 1925 p. 148).
1928The Hall of Fishes of the World opens to the public, though incomplete (1, 1928 p. 47). The department adds to the hall throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s (1, 1929 p. 64; 1, 1930 p. 38; 1, 1931 p. 46; 1, 1934 p. 9; 1, 1935 p. 11; 1, 1936 p. 11; 1, 1937 p. 14; 1, 1941 p. 34). *This hall is also referred to as the Hall of Fishes or the Fish Hall in Annual Reports.
1930The museum abandons the use of divisions, and the Department of Ichthyology’s name is changed to the Department of Living and Extinct Fishes (1, 1930 p. 195).
1933 May 2The Hall of Ocean Life is opened to the public (1, 1933 p. 16).
1942The department is renamed the Department of Fishes, still encompassing both living and extinct species (1, 1942 p. 13). William K. Gregory is appointed Chairman and Curator of Fossil Fishes (1, 1942 p. 56).
1944The Department of Fishes merges with the Department of Invertebrates into a new Department of Fishes and Aquatic Biology (1, 1944 p. 30). Fossil fishes are moved to the new Department of Geology and Paleontology (1, 1944 p. 66).
1944 MayWilliam K. Gregory retires from his position as Chairman and is replaced by Charles M. Breder as Chairman and Curator (1, 1944 p. 39).
1946The Lerner Marine Laboratory is established in Bimini, the Bahamas, by gift of Ichthyology Field Associate Michael Lerner (1, 1946 p. 20). The laboratory provides a field research station for ichthyologists to study a wide variety of marine fishes (1, 1951 p. 24).
1960 July 1The Department of Fishes and Aquatic Biology is divided into two: a Department of Living Invertebrates, and a Department of Ichthyology with Charles M. Breder continuing as Chairman and Curator (1, 1959 p. 14).
1965 MayCharles M. Breder retires as Chairman, and is replaced by Donn E. Rosen (1, 1964 p. 19).
1969 February 26The Hall of Ocean Life and Biology of Fishes is opened to the public (1, 1968 p. 22).
1975The Lerner Marine Laboratory closes.
1975 July 1C. Lavett Smith replaces Donn E. Rosen as Chairman of the department (1, 1974-1975 p. 11).
1982Gareth J. Nelson replaces C. Lavett Smith as Chairman of the Department (1, 1981-1982 p. 58).
1987Ichthyology and Herpetology are once again combined into the Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology (1, 1987-88 p. 23; 2, p. 61). Gareth J. Nelson is appointed Chairman (1, 1987-88 p. 82).
1993 July 1Charles W. Myers replaces Gareth J. Nelson as Chairman of the department (2, p. 62).
1997 July 1Ichthyology is again separated from Herpetology and the name Department of Ichthyology re-adopted (2, p. 62). Melanie L. J. Stiassny is appointed head of the department (1, 1997-1998 p. 62).
2000The museum reintroduces ‘divisions’, with the Department of Ichthyology incorporated into the Division of Vertebrate Zoology (1, 2000 p. 75).