The Palestinian marine and terrestrial vertebrate fauna preserved at the biology exhibition, Islamic University of Gaza, bombarded by the Israeli Army in December, 2008 \

Abstract EN

Palestine is home to a diversity of marine and terrestrial vertebrate fauna of Afrotropical, Oriental and Palaearctic origins.

Such vertebrate fauna species are commonly preserved at the biology exhibitions of universities of the Gaza Strip.

The biology exhibition of the Islamic University of Gaza (BE-IUG); which was a reservoir of preserved vertebrate fauna of various categories, was totally bombarded and destroyed by the Israeli F-16 war crafts on December 28, 2008.

Hence, the current study comes to document the marine and terrestrial vertebrate fauna specimens preserved at BE-IUG.

The fellow up and survey period of zoological specimens covered 10 years extending from 1999 to 2008.

The findings of this work revealed a considerable diversity of marine, freshwater and terrestrial vertebrate fauna, where a total number of 139 species belonging to 81 families and 35 orders was recorded .The Osteichthyes constituted 36.7% of the total species recorded, followed by Aves (34.5%), Reptilia (12.9%), Mammalia (7.2%), Chondrichthyes (6.5%) and Amphibia (2.2%).

The number of specimens of each preserved species ranged between one and twenty depending on the availability and size of the animals.

Among the exotic species, two of them have considered as ones of the worst invading species worldwide, Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) and Common or Indian Myna (Acridotheres tristis).

Three endemic species were encountered; Palestine Viper (Vipera palaestinae), Palestine Sunbird (Nectarinia osea) and Palestine Mole-rat (Spalax leucodon ehrenbergi).

Unique single specimens of the Coypu or Nutria (Myocastor coypus), mutant House Mouse (Mus musculus) and mutant Black Rat (Rattus rattus) were encountered at BE-IUG as well.

The study recommends the improvement of the current biology exhibitions and small museums of local universities in a way ensuring good preservation and arrangement of zoological specimens in order to benefit the Palestinian community in a sustainable fashion