With its 260,000 catalogued specimens, the ichthyological collection of the LIB at the Hamburg site hosts the largest fish collection of Germany. The collection comprises specimens from more than 8,000 fish species representing about a quarter of all known fish species worldwide. The collection includes more than 3,100 type specimens from about 500 valid species. About 98% of the collection material is stored in 70% ethanol in glass jars or stainless steel tanks. The collection also contains some specimen fractions such as skin preparations, dried skeletons, skulls, jaws, scales and otoliths, as well as DNA samples, photographs, x-rays and related publications. The fish collection is world-wide in coverage and comprises marine, freshwater and diadromous species. Marine fishes are mainly represented by lots from the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent waters, especially from the North and Baltic Seas. The collection comprises also comprehensive material from the deep sea and coral reefs of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Myctophidae, a marine family of Actinopterygii, comprises more than 4,800 lots, the highest number of catalogued lots of a family in the collection. Elasmobranchii are mainly represented in the collection with the family Rajidae, comprising more than 1,400 lots. Extensive material of freshwater fishes stems from Europe, Asia and Africa as well as from South and Middle America. The majority of the holdings of the fish collection is digitalized.