Specimens are loaned to universities, colleges,
museums, and other research and educational institutions for the use of
resident research staff. The loan period is usually short term, as specified
on the invoice. Loan extensions are typically granted but extensions must be
requested in writing before the loan expires.
To borrow specimens or to discuss
deposition of specimens contact the Collections Manager or individual research scientist at:
Collection Manager .................. brightc@si.edu
IZ Loan Requests .................... izloanrequest@si.edu
Research Scientist .................... (See Staff List for email addresses)
For data requests about the taxonomic or
geographic scope of our collections or specific cataloged inventoried holdings
contact:
Data Manager...... wardl@si.edu
The acquisition of specimens is usually left to the
discretion of the research
scientist whose area of responsibility includes the taxa in question.
Specimens may be retained and accessioned based upon known or anticipated
research value. Where scientific value is anticipated, the decision to keep or
dispose of specimens may be deferred until the material is given further study
as part of a taxonomic or other research project. Valueless specimens will not
be retained, as they are too costly in terms of time required for curation,
curatorial supplies used in preservation, and shelf and floor space used for
storage.
We would prefer that donors notify us of their intention
to donate specimens to the Museum prior to sending the specimens and prior
to citing, in any publication, the Museum as the repository of the
specimens.
All gifts and bequests of specimens shall be accepted on
an unrestricted basis. No commitment will be made as to exhibition, attribution,
or placement of the gift. No guarantee shall be made that the gift or bequest
will be retained by the Museum in perpetuity. There shall be no exception to
this policy unless any such restrictions or special provisions are approved in
writing by the Collections Advisory Committee, the Section Head, and the Director,
and a statement of approval has been filed by the Registrar. Collections of
mixed quality may be accepted after consultation with the Director. Prior to the
donation, the donor will be notified that we view the donation as a collection
of mixed quality and that portions of the material may not be retained for the
permanent collection.
Upon formal offer of a valuable collection, a review of
the collection by the Collections Advisory Committee will take place. The
responsible research scientist or staff person shall obtain from the donor an
accurate inventory of the collection for this review. (The responsible research
scientist may assist the donor with this inventory.) The donation may have tax
implications for the donor. Donors are encouraged to discuss tax issues with
their accountant or attorney prior to offering the collection. It is the donor's
responsibility to arrange for any needed appraisal.
A research scientist shall not accept any specimens
collected in violation of local, state, or Federal regulations or in violation
of the Lacey Act or the Endangered Species Act. Nor shall this Museum accept any specimens or collections for which there exists reasonable proof that
they were obtained illegally or unethically. Information about the scope of national and international wildlife laws can be
found at the USFWS site. Requirements for the deposition of
Incipient (Manuscript) Types How to Get USNM Numbers:
As a service to the systematic community we routinely
accept, catalog and curate designated type specimens for all extant invertebrate
taxa (except for Insecta (includes
water mites and related groups), Brachiopoda
and Foraminifera, and parasitic helminths,
nematodes and protozoans). We maintain extensive, fully inventoried type
collections of these taxa. To ensure that the specimen data in our catalog
database corresponds exactly with the published data for type specimens, we
require that type specimens and all associated data be in our possession before
we will assign a USNM (catalog) number. For incipient (manuscript) types, USNM
catalog numbers are not assigned until the corresponding species description has
been accepted for publication. We request that whenever practical, authors
provide us with a copy of the first page of the editor's proofs or of the
manuscript acceptance letter for our records.
When to Send Specimens to the Museum:
Please do not send your manuscript type specimen(s) to us
for deposit until you have submitted your manuscript with the species
description to a journal for publication. Since species names are often modified
as a result of the manuscript review process we strongly recommend that you
retain your specimens until your manuscript has been reviewed and you have
completed any revisions required by the journal editor. This is also more
convenient for you in the event that you need to be re-examine your specimens in
order to respond to a reviewer's comments. As soon as you have been advised that
your manuscript has been accepted, forward your specimens to us with a copy of
the editor's acceptance letter and a signed Deed of
Gift. As soon as we receive the specimens we will immediately
provide you with USNM numbers. We can report USNM numbers to you and/or the
journal editor via e-mail, fax, or regular letter.
Data Requirements for Types:
Each specimen-lot should include a legible, archival label
that includes the full scientific name of the specimen(s), the exact type
status, and locality and collection information. These data must correspond
exactly with the data published in the species description. In addition to
complete locality and collecting information for each specimen or specimen-lot
we also need the following information before we can assign a USNM catalog
number:
Author(s) of the species Complete article citation including volume number and
specific page numbers and figure numbers related to the species description (if
this information is available when the specimens are deposited).
Therefore, we request that all donors send a reprint of their article for our
library. We also use the reprint to confirm that the published taxon and
locality data for the specimen corresponds with the data in our associated
computer record.
For additional information or to arrange to deposit
specimens in our collections, you may contact one of the research scientists or any of the following individuals:
Fax #: 202-357-3043 Department of Invertebrate Zoology Staff | History | Research & Collections | IZ FAQs | Newsletters | Scientific Visits | Home
Specimens of the invertebrate taxa,
maintained in the dept. collections, are acquired principally as the result of
field work by members of the staff and as gifts from scientific
organizations, colleagues, and private individuals. They also may be acquired
though exchanges, bequests, purchase, or transfers from government agencies.
Material must have adequate scientific documentation or there must be some other
significant factor (e.g. rarity, exhibition quality, etc.) to justify its
acquisition. In the case of donations, a signed Deed
of Gift which itemizes and distinctly describes the specimens must be provided by all
donors. The Deed of Gift certifies that the donor is the legal owner of the
donated material, and that all specimens were legally acquired. Only
invertebrate taxa are accepted for deposit, foraminifera, brachiopods and fossil
corals are the concern of the Dept.
of Paleobiology and insects to the Dept. of Entomology . Parasites such as acanthocephalans, nematodes,
protozoans and helminths are the concern of the National
Parasite Collection of the USDA.
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and Assignment of USNM Numbers
Expected date of publication
Published title of article
Full Journal name
National Museum of Natural History
10th & Constitution Ave., NW
Smithsonian Institution
Washington DC 20560-0163
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