Collection Support for Invertebrate Paleontology at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

科学院的无脊椎动物化石收藏 自然科学，费城包括4,000个模式标本， 104，000批次中的100万个标本，其中一半是 目前分类。 收藏品主要由 产于北美洲东部的第三纪软体动物，包括 历史上重要的收藏品。 此前NSF的支持 开始重新整理收藏品， 地层系统的顺序，封存类型，和 所有批次的计算机化。 加里·罗森伯格博士， 收集，现在正在进行十年的第一阶段， 计划计算模式标本以及系统 收藏. 将对模式标本进行拍照和分析 从养护角度和采取的补救行动， 停止恶化。 类型目录将发布在 科学院的软体动物学杂志《泰罗尼亚》。 拟议的策展改进将使广泛的 观众的古生物学家，软体动物学家，生态学家，和 地理学家。 拟议的改善措施将扭转 的影响，并将使这项有价值的研究 调查人员可轻松获取资源。 系统 化石的收集可能是最有价值的工具， 测量地球上物种灭绝和环境变化的速度， 妥善保管这些藏品对未来的 一代又一代的研究者。

The collection of invertebrate fossils in the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia includes 4,000 type specimens and one million specimens in 104,000 lots, half of which are currently cataloged. The collection is composed predominantly of Tertiary molluscs from eastern North America, and includes historically important collections. Prior NSF support has initiated the process of rearranging the collection from stratigraphic to systematic order, sequestration of types, and computerization of all lots. Dr. Gary Rosenberg, Curator of the collection, is now embarking on the first phase of a ten-year plan to computerize the type specimens as well as the systematic collections. Type specimens will be photographed and analyzed from a conservation perspective and remedial actions taken to halt deterioration. A type catalog will be published in the Academy's malacological journal Tyronia. The proposed curatorial improvements will benefit a wide audience of paleontologists, malacologists, ecologists, and biogeographers. The proposed improvements will reverse the effects of prior neglect, and will make this valuable research resource easily accessible to investigators. Systematic collections of fossils may prove to be the most valuable tool for gauging the rate of extinction and environmental change on Earth, and the proper care of these collections is critical to future generations of researchers.