The museum this fall acquired tens of thousands of reptile and amphibian specimens from Oregon State University, many of which are snakes. The development places the university in a unique position, according to Schneider, the research museum collections manager for the museum's division of reptiles and amphibians. “I’m fairly confident we’ll have the largest snake collection in the world,” he said. The extensive new additions also will allow scientists to conduct new snake and amphibian research, perhaps looking at trait evolution in mothers and their offspring. The "largest snake collection" title would be nice, but Schneider said the true promise of a big collection is new research opportunities.

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Persons: — Greg Schneider, Schneider, ”, Lynne Houck, Stevan Arnold, ” Schneider, “, Hernán, Dan Rabosky Organizations: University of Michigan Museum, Oregon State University, Oregon State, Michigan, Smithsonian, American Museum of, University of Kansas, Michigan's, Michigan's Department of Ecology, Museums Center Locations: Mich, U.S, Michigan, Washington, New York, Oregon, Michigan's Department