Computerization and Integration of Exceptional Invertebrate Fossil Research Collections: Florida Museum of Natural History

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A grant has been awarded to the University of Florida under the direction of Dr. Douglas S. Jones to integrate, curate, and digitize 875,000 invertebrate fossil specimens, making data from a total of approximately 2,500,000 specimens available online for research and education. The Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) at the University of Florida holds one of the ten largest invertebrate fossil collections in the United States and is ranked fifth in annual research loan activity among institutions housing large invertebrate fossil collections. The specimens that will be integrated have been donated from Tulane University, the University of South Florida, the Antarctic Eocene Collection, and the Paulay Collection of fossil molluscs and corals. Most visitors to the current invertebrate paleontology website are students, educators, and fossil enthusiasts searching for information for science projects, term papers, photographs of fossils, and other material. The project will greatly expand the amount of data available to the public. Material from the collection will be added to an ongoing outreach program called Museum on the Move, designed for grades 6-12.