Collections Improvement for Arachnology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science

在无脊椎动物动物学馆长保拉·E·库欣博士的指导下，丹佛自然科学博物馆(DMNS)获得了一笔赠款，用于管理、鉴定和建立积压的蜘蛛标本(蜘蛛、蝎子等)的数据库。并稳定和重新管理最近从科罗拉多州立大学(CSU)收集的蜘蛛类标本。DMNS的节肢动物标本收藏于1998年建立，从不到50瓶发展到近21,000瓶(100-30万标本)，代表947个物种，使该收藏成为落基山/大平原地区同类标本中最大的。来自NSF的支持将提供人员支持，以协助管理和鉴定积压的标本物种。这笔资金还将使转移到DMNS的CSU标本能够立即重新保管和稳定下来。DMNS现在是落基山脉/大平原地区蜘蛛类的主要储存库。将通过现有的网页和在线数据库，向包括学生、教师、研究人员、土地管理人员和公众在内的广大用户提供来自已查明的积压材料的数据。该项目将对博物馆满足广泛和多样化观众的研究和教育需求的能力产生重大影响，并将加强DMNS的蜘蛛学计划。

A grant has been awarded to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) under the direction of Dr. Paula E. Cushing, Curator of Invertebrate Zoology, to curate, identify, and database backlogged arachnid specimens (spiders, scorpions, etc.) and to stabilize and re-curate recently acquired arachnid specimens from the Colorado State University (CSU) collection. The arachnid collection at the DMNS was established in 1998 and has grown from fewer than 50 vials to nearly 21,000 vials (100 - 300,000 specimens) representing 947 species, making the collection the largest of its kind in the Rocky Mountain / Great Plains region. Support from NSF will provide personnel support to assist in curation and identification to species of backlogged specimens. The funding also will enable the immediate re-curation and stabilization of the CSU specimens transferred to DMNS. The DMNS is now the primary repository for arachnids in the Rocky Mountains / Great Plains region. The data from the identified backlogged material will be made readily accessible to a broad range of users including students, teachers, researchers, land managers and the general public through the currently existing web page and online database. The project will have a major impact on the Museum's ability to serve the research and educational needs of a broad and diverse audience and will strengthen the arachnology program at the DMNS.