Collections of fishes: In total there are 6,207 specimens of freshwater, brackish and marine fishes. Among them, there are 1,207 specimens of 396 species that have been identified (accounting for 15.33 percent of total species in Vietnam), including 941 research and exhibition specimens of 350 species and 266 specimens of holotype and paratype of 45 new species discovered in Vietnam that published by Mai Đinh Yen such as Silurus cucphuongensis, Hemibagrus centralus, Altigena tetrabarbat, etc and one paratype of Linecheek tank goby (Glossogobius sparsipapillus Akihito and Meguro, 1976) discovered by former Japanese Prince of Akihito (presently known as the Emperor of Japan) and gifted to the museum in 1976. Therefore, there have been still about 5000 specimens of fishes not yet identified.
Collections of amphibian: The total number of amphibian specimens is about 3,770, including 770 identified specimens of 54 species, 17 genera, 9 families, accounting for 30.5% (54/177) of total amphibian species in Vietnam and 3,000 specimens not yet identified. Some paratype specimens of newly discovered species found recently such as Quyet’s treefrog Philautus quyeti, Orlov’s treefrog Rhacophorus orlovi, etc are being preserved at the Biological Museum.
Collections of reptile: There are 1,714 specimens of reptile in total. 714 specimens of which are identified as 159 species of 50 genera, 20 families, accounting for 36.6% (159/435) of total reptile species found in Vietnam. Therefore, there have been still about 1,000 specimens of reptile not yet identified.
It is remarkable that the holotype of Tam Dao mountain stream snake Opisthotropis tamdaoensis and many paratypes of newly discovered species such as Hidden bow-fengered gecko Cyrtodactylus cryptus, Roesler’s bent-toed gecko Cyrtodactylus roesleri, Chinese Leopard gecko Goniurosaurus luii are being preserved at the Biological Museum.
Collections of bird: There are 3,107 specimens of bird, including 437 exhibition specimens and 2,670 collective specimens, with total of 381 species of 18 orders, 68 families, accounting for 45 % (381/848) of total bird species in Vietnam.
Collections of mammal: There are 2,683 specimens of mammal in total, including 183 exhibition specimens and 2,500 collective specimens in 136 species and subspecies of 70 genera, 26 families, 10 orders, accounting for 45.3 % (136/300) of total mammal species in Vietnam.
Specifically, remains of skin and skull of holotype of Northern buff-cheeked gibbon Nomascus annamensis, which was discovered as a new primate 2010 and specimens of Gray-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix cinerea), which is also a new primate species discovered in 1997. In addition, some specimens of big mammals are unique to the Biological Museum such as Gaur (Bos frontalis), Banteng (Bos javanicus). However, there aren’t specimens of some orders such as Dermoptera, Cetacea, Perissodactyla, Sirenia.