Improvements to the Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyological Collection

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract. A grant has been awarded to Dr. James Albert and Mr. George Burgess at Florida Museum of Natural History to improve the Ichthyological Collection. Species are in decline around the world as we pass through a wave of mass extinctions due to human activities. While the biodiversity crisis accelerates efforts are being made to preserve our genetic heritage for future generations. The Florida Museum of Natural History ichthyological collection is a significant national resource, with principal strengths in western and eastern Atlantic shelf and deepwater marine fishes, western Atlantic reef fishes, and freshwater fishes from the Southeastern United States, Central and northern South America, and the West Indies. The UF collection continues to grow and is used by researchers throughout the nation and the world. The Florida Museum ichthyological collection presently contains about 216,000 identified lots (jars) bearing close to 2.2 million specimens ascribed to approximately 6,600 species. Of these about 150,000 lots are electronically catalogued. Among the uncatalogued materials are an estimated 73,000 lots of specimens identified to species acquired from orphaned collections. These uncatalogued lots include some of the Florida Museum's most valuable materials. At present a large number of these specimens are not electronically catalogued, greatly restricting their use and access. The lack of availability to these substantial resources on electronic databases dramatically reduces their utility and represents a significant loss of research opportunities. This project will electronically catalogue and physically integrate orphaned lots into the existing Florida Museum collection in newly provided facilities. The specific goals are to: 1: Install mobile, high density shelving units in the newly allocated space. 2. Electronically catalog 46,500 identified lots. 3: Physically integrate these materials into the existing catalogued collection on newly purchased and existing compactor shelving units. All lots will receive new labels, be topped off or receive new alcohol as needed, receive new closures or be rebottled if appropriate, and be shelved with conspecifics on compacted shelving units. To facilitate continued safety and access throughout the cataloguing process all materials will be maintained in phylogenetic order by family in air-conditioned facilities provided with access aisles. To expedite incorporation of new collections we will minimize new taxonomic identifications. Specimens representing highly redundant taxa or those terminally damaged will be recorded and discarded. Electronic cataloguing of the orphaned materials will substantially increase the flow of information into and out of the Florida Museum collection as a whole. Cataloguing and integrating orphaned ichthyological collections will provide visiting scholars, students and users of the Florida Museum and Internet databases access to these important data. Achieving the project objectives will facilitate long-term growth of the collection, promote research into the catalogued materials, and greatly increase the long-term management and public outreach capabilities of the Florida Museum and its information resources. These results will enhance the role of the University of Florida as a center for the education and training of a new generation of scientists in aquatic biodiversity.