9710104 Censky The Carnegie Museum of Natural History collection of herpetofauna contains some 194,286 specimens. In the past five years, unanticipated growth in the collection (largely through accession of several orphaned collections) has resulted in overcrowded conditions and inadequate storage for many specimens. NSF support will increase space by reorganizing and consolidating parts of the collection, and to purchase more appropriate storage units. Seventy-five stainless steel tanks will be purchased and personnel hired to consolidate lot-cataloged specimens, consolidate large snakes from gallon jars into tanks, replace inadequate jar lids, alleviate overcrowding in tanks, and reorganize the formalin and turtle collections. When all tasks are completed, not only will the overcrowded condition of the collection be alleviated, but there will also be space available for about 10-15 years of growth at the present rate. More importantly, the collection will be housed more appropriately to insure its long-term maintenance and accessibility for scientific and educational purposes.
