The Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) at the University of Florida (UF) recently acquired three, significant, orphaned collections of invertebrate fossils. Each collection is composed primarily of specimens from the Cenozoic of Florida and the southeastern U.S. and each represents a unique, scientific research resource. The Invertebrate Paleontology (IP) Division at the museum will execute a three-year project to curate these orphaned collections and integrate them into its Systematic, Type, and Stratigraphic collections, as appropriate. the ultimate goal of this project is to preserve the specimens and associated information within each of these valuable research collections and to make them available to the scientific community. Each collection presents distinct strengths and challenges. The collections include: (1) Florida Geological Survey Collection. In 1993 the Florida Geological Survey (FGS) in Tallahassee officially transferred its collection of fossil invertebrates to the FLMNH for permanent care and conservation. The FGS Collections large ( 13,000 catalogued and ca. 5,000 uncatalogued lots), represents most of the stratigraphic units in the state, and contains over 178 primary types as well as many figured, referred, and voucher specimens. (2) Hunter-Banks Collection. This large collection was made during 1960-1978 by Muriel E. Hunter and the Lake Joseph E. Banks while employed by the Coastal Petroleum Company of Tallahassee, FL. It consists of fossil invertebrates from Florida (85%), the southeastern U.S. (10%), and form abroad ( 5%). The vast majority of the specimen lots (ca. 22,200) were stratigraphically collected, including many sites which are no longer accessible. (3) Victor Zullo Collection. Shortly after his untimely death in July 1993, the fossil barnacle collection of Dr. Victor Zullo was transferred to the FLMNH from the University of North Caroline, Wilmington. This vital collection (ca. 1,000 lots) consists primarily of balanomorph barlacles which Zullo was researching. The collection is accompanied by 10 manuscripts in various stages of completion which are being distributed to appropriate workers for completion. The collection will contain many primary and secondary type specimens which result from this systematic research.
