Audio tour Coleoptera collection by dr. Karaman

Short history of the Coleoptera Collection of dr. Eduard Karaman

The history of a collection is inseparable from the people that were working on it during the past. The old Coleoptera Collection deposited in the Natural History Museum Split was formed by the first entomologist from Split, dr. Eduard Karaman (1849-1923). It has 30.814 specimens originating from most of the European countries, that are identified to the species level or lower, which amounts to 8.872 taxa. All of that expertly identified material is placed into 78 entomological boxes that are deposited in 7 wooden cabinets. Collection arranged in this manner was then bequeathed by dr. Karaman to the Split Municipality, which then a year after dr. Karaman's death established the City Museum of Natural History (1924).

Key role in founding the Museum and in hosting the Collection was held by prof. Umberto Girometta (1883-1939). After death of dr. Karaman and the arrival of the Collection to the City Museum of Natural History, entomologist Petar Novak (1879-1967) worked on the Collection. He continued to explore the Collection and he rearranged specimens according to new systematic ideas. He entered data from the Karaman's Collection to his catalogue of local, 'Adriatic' coleopteran species he will later publish. He had also sent specimens to experts who were interested in our insect samples and who wanted to gain better insight into certain species. Due to the War and other unfortunate circumstances, a part of the specimens were lost. In the research of this Collection he made a great step forward in 1940, when he sent a number of specimens to dr. Zora Karaman (1907-1974) to Skoplje for a taxonomic revision. In that material a new species was discovered, and it was clear that a new taxonomic revision is needed.

After Petar Novak left the Museum (1953), the Collection continued to be looked after, but entomological activities were lacking. It was only in 1997 that the Collection became of a special interest to the new curator of the Museum and a beginner in entomology, Bože Kokan, prof. The same year a world-famous entomologist dr. Guido Nonveiller (1913-2002) arrived to the Museum looking for one very valuable Karaman's insect. During that time he taught the curator how to do the field work and how to work with the collection and expert literature. Dr. Nonveiller also discovered a forgotten museum holotype in the Collection, and announced new similar findings were possible. He instructed few more biologists and one can say that he revived entomological activities in the Museum. There are entomological workshops for children and youth held in the Museum. The Collection is carefully kept, restored, documented and researched, in collaboration with both Croatian and foreign entomologists. Through the project of 'vocational training for work without employment', in the process of the Collection digitization Vedrana Franić, mag.ing.agr., Mirjana Milin, univ.bacc.chem., mag.forenz., Ratko Cvitanić, prof. and Marija Cvitanić, mag. oecol. et prot. nat. were participating. When the digitization is finished, everything will be prepared in order to include the Collection into the Registry of Croatian cultural goods of national significance.