The Paleontology (Fossil) collection comprises approximately 60% of the total collection and consists of 19,600 collection lots, c.20,000 individually catalogued specimens, reference collections and hundreds of biological type specimens. It is the largest, best catalogued and curated paleontology collection held by any university in New Zealand and the second largest in the country after the National Fossil Collection held by GNS Science.
The two scientifically most significant components of this collection are the holdings of Quaternary bird bones and invertebrate fossils from the Triassic and Jurassic periods from South East Asia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, New Zealand and Antarctica. Other significant components of the collection are its holdings of northern North Island Neogene fossils and collections from classic South Island Cenozoic localities, some of which are no longer productive.
The Molluscan reference collection, whilst not comprehensive, contains representatives of the majority of common New Zealand fossil and modern species and significant numbers of rarer ones. The Paleontology Collection catalogues (collection lot and specimen catalogues) are fully digitised. The active copy of this catalogue and the specimen catalogues (for type and figured specimens) are only available through the Collection Manager. The vast majority of New Zealand and New Caledonian fossils in this collection are from localities registered in the New Zealand Fossil Record File which can be viewed by visiting their Fossil Record Electronic Database.
