The University of Florida's Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) has among the largest collections of fishes (2,500,000 specimens) and amphibians and reptiles (210,000 specimens) in North America. Specimens from these collections are heavily used by scientists and educators. Of particular interest are the many large specimens that are rare in collections and add greatly to the value of the UF collections. Although the University of Florida (UF) continues to support the museum's collections and recently has dedicated and improved major expansions of space, the serious problem of improper storage for the largest specimens remains. These specimens are stored in ArcaSystems tanks and large plastic barrels. Several tanks and barrels have developed cracks and a few have leaked, exposing specimens and spreading alcohol over large areas, causing unpleasant and at times hazardous conditions. As the tanks age, more are developing cracks and becoming a serious threat to the integrity of some of the most valuable specimens. Funding from NSF will allow UF to provide improved storage for large specimens by replacing inadequate containers with archival stainless steel tanks. Stainless steel tanks are nearly indestructible and leak-proof. In transferring specimens to new tanks, labels and database records will be updated. These activities will guarantee the long-term preservation of valuable specimens and maximize their utility to scientists and educators well into the future. FLMNH serves a broad clientele, including researchers and a diversity of scholars, students, and resource managers. This project will allow UF to continue to make comprehensive information accessible to researchers, educators, and decision-makers who depend on knowledge of biological diversity. The collections are important components of undergraduate and graduate education at UF and are used in educational programs ranging from public exhibits, workshops, and tours to university courses. The FLMNH ichthyology collection can be found at www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Collection/collection.htm.
The University of Florida’s Museum of Natural History has among the largest collections of fishes (2,500,000 specimens) and amphibians and reptiles (210,000 specimens) in North America. Specimens from these collections are heavily used by scientists and educators. Of particular interest are the many large specimens that are rare in collections and which add greatly to the value of the UF collections. Although UF continues to support the museum’s collections and recently has dedicated and improved major expansions of space, a serious problem of improper storage for the largest specimens required correction. The specimens were stored in "ArcaSystems" tanks and large plastic barrels. Several tanks and barrels had developed cracks, and a few leaked exposing specimens and spreading alcohol over large areas, causing unpleasant and at times hazardous conditions. With age, more containers developed cracks and posed a serious threat to the integrity of some of the most valuable specimens in the collection. Funding from NSF allowed UF to provide improved storage for large specimens by replacing inadequate containers with archival stainless steel tanks (SS). The SS tanks obtained are nearly indestructible and leak-proof. In transferring specimens to new tanks, labels and database records were updated. These activities guarantee the long-term survival of valuable specimens and maximize their utility to scientists and educators. FLMNH serves a broad clientele, including researchers and a diversity of scholars, students, and resource managers. This project has allowed UF to continue to make comprehensive information on the world’s species accessible to researchers, educators, and decision-makers who depend on knowledge of biological diversity. The collections are important components of undergraduate and graduate education at UF and are used in educational programs ranging from public exhibits, workshops, and tours, to university undergraduate and graduate courses.
