Though museums and other public educational facilities are often overlooked for their contributions to academic research, they are vital players in facilitating on-hands research and academic exchanges. Recently, staff at the Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology published a list of fish held at the museum, which included 178 fish specimens belonging to 4 orders and 11 families. The largest species collection on hand is Cyprinidae, with 71 specimens, closely followed by Cobitidae with 52 specimens.

The museum welcomes both experts and fish lovers alike to visit the museum and view the specimens. The full report “2013 Fish Specimens List” compiled by Du Li Na, Chen Xiaoyong, and Yang Junxing is available in the recent special issue of Zoological Research on Fish Biodiversity 34 (4): 345-360.