Н. В. Шибанов в фондовом хранилище («запасниках») герпетологической коллекции Зоомузея МГУ

Collection of amphibians and reptiles was separated from other vertebrates in Division of Herpetology in 1932, its first head became Shibanov. Before that, it was a part of Department of Vertebrates curated by Heptner.

In 1941 herpetological collection was evacuated to Ashkhabad. After being back it was curated by then student I.S. Darevsky, now outstanding Russian herpetologist working in Zoological Institute in St.Petersburg. In the early 1950s the museum's herpetology was under supervision of R.L. Boehme, subsequently famous Russian ornithologist, professor of zoology at Biological Faculty of Moscow University. However, the Division was virtually conserved in that times because of absence of permanent staff. Situation changed in 1962 when Dr. V.F. Polozhikhina (now Orlova) became its Curator in Charge. The staff of the Divison included also T.O. Aleksandrovskaya (1972-1987) who was replaced later by Dunaev.

Besides them, there were several assistant curators who conducted various technical jobs in the Division; now Nazarov is responsible for technical curation.. Members of the Circle of Young Naturalists of the Museum have been occasionally helping with collections, as well.