Consolidation and Integration of the USGS and University of New Mexico Vertebrate Collections

Research Task: 8327CN8.2.0
Task Manager: Cindy Ramotnik

Formerly located in Fort Collins, Colo., the USGS Biological Surveys COllection of vertebrates now resides in the University of New Mexico Museum of Southwestern Biology (UNM-MSB) under a formal Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU provides for the integration of both the physical specimens and the associated electronic databases of the USGS and UNM-MSB. Integration of the collections will improve user access and efficiently employ research and collection resources at the university, where USGS and UNM staff work cooperatively on the collections. Collections of USGS and UNM-MSB fish, birds, and reptiles and amphibians are now combined, and integration of the mammal collections is ongoing. All USGS and MSB electronic databases have been combined. Specimen records for birds and mammals are searchable online at http://arctos.database.museum/SpecimenSearch.cfm. Reptile and amphibian records are available through the HerpNET portal at http://www.herpnet.org. Specimen records for fish are available upon request.

 For more information contact Cindy Ramotnik