Herpetology Collection Policies
Data Request Policy
We encourage the use of our Herpetology Master Database for preliminary retrieval of data on our specimen holdings. The database does not yet contain all our collection holdings. Nevertheless, with approximately 2/3's of our 190,000 specimens already in the database and more being added everyday, use of the database will yield a quick overview of our specimen holdings.
If data are needed on the specimens now yet in the database, or if additional data are needed on the specimens in the database, they can be requested.
We are happy to receive preliminary inquiries by e-mail about the collection holdings, but actual requests for data must be on institutional letterhead and must include a brief description of the research objectives, stating exactly what specimen data are being requested and why. A request from a student must be countersigned by the major advisor or other professional staff member. Requests for specimen data will be evaluated by the curators (F. Wayne King, Max Nickerson) and collection manager (Kenneth Krysko). Approval will be based on scientific merit and feasibility of the project, conservation status of taxa, approval of previous requests, qualifications of the investigator, approval of original collector(s), or any combination of these factors.
Terms
Specimen data are provided under the following stipulations:
Data will be used only for research and educational purposes. Commercial use for profit is prohibited without prior written permission from the Division of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History.
Data are for the individual researcher's one-time personal use as originally requested and must not be transferred to third parties.
Specimen data, including specific collecting locality, GIS coordinates, date of collection, collector, or other associated data, will not be incorporated in its raw form in any publicly available database (e.g., web site, compact disc, hard copy) without prior written permission from the Division of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History.
'UF' is the approved abbreviation for referencing specimens at the Florida Museum of Natural History and should be explicitly acknowledged in each publication that is based entirely or in part on specimen records or raw data derived from UF cataloged specimens. When feasible, two reprints of each paper or one copy of any book that results from research on UF specimens should be sent to the Division of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History.
A responsible staff member must provide a signed statement (on institutional letterhead) agreeing to the aforementioned terms of data transfer submitted in the request for collection data. Major advisors must countersign a statement agreeing to these terms for requests initiated by their students.
Loan Policy
Loans of specimens are not made to individuals. They are made only to institutions under the name of a permanent staff member of that institution. As a consequence, requests for loans require a formal letter printed or typed on institutional letterhead, stating which specimens are being requested and why. A loan request from a student must be countersigned by the major professor or other responsible staff member who will assume responsibility for the specimens. In addition, specimens shall not be moved to another address without prior written permission.
To avert the chance of catastrophic loss, no more than one-half of our total specimens of a species will be lent at a time. The remainder may be requested after the first loan has been returned. Under normal circumstances, loans will be sent by FedEx, UPS, or hand-carried. Very fragile specimens, special preparations, or parts of synoptic collections ordinarily will not be lent. For specimens that cannot be lent, we invite approved researchers to examine them at the FLMNH during our regular working hours, 08:00 to 17:00 Monday through Friday.
Specimens on loan may not be altered in any way without express written permission from the FLMNH. Requests for permission to do dissection are not customarily granted but are decided on a case-by-case basis (see Dissection of Specimen Policy).
Terms
1. All borrowed specimens must be stored according to professionally accepted standards, including for FLMNH specimens, in 70% ethanol as indicated on the loan invoice (unless otherwise noted).
2. Loans are made to institutions, and therefore, specimens are not to be moved to another address without prior written permission from the FLMNH.
3. Loan specimens may not be altered or dissected in any way without express written permission from the FLMNH (see Dissection of Specimen Policy).
4. Loans are for 6 months and are to be returned before the loan termination date. Time extensions must be requested in writing before the loan termination date. If an extension request is not received by the FLMNH, a written inquiry will be sent on outstanding loans that have not been returned by their termination date. Failure to respond to FLMNH inquiries will result in an immediate termination of the loan and call-back of the specimens. Failure to respond also will result in our second inquiry being sent to the administrative head of the recipient institution.
5. Specimens being returned should be carefully packed in the same manner in which they were received. At the very least, all domestic returns must be sent by FedEx, UPS, or other similar high quality carriers with tracking capability. All international loans must be returned by preferred priority carriers such as FedEx or UPS, or hand-carried.
6. Original specimen labels or tags may not be cut off, untied, removed, or revised in any way. Any suggested change(s) in specimen identification or data should be submitted in writing or noted on the FLMNH invoice.
7. The borrower is requested to provide 2 copies of any publication, or 1 copy of any book, resulting in part or whole from this loan.
By reading the above conditions and returning the signed copy of the Invoice of Specimens/Loan Form upon acceptance of loan materials, the borrower agrees to abide by the policies outlined above and any additional written stipulations for the loan of any materials from the FLMNH.
Dissection of Specimen Policy
The Florida Museum of Natural History collections are curated according to the highest professional standards to preserve and maintain the specimens, and the associated data, so they will be available in perpetuity for research and study. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in use of preserved scientific specimens in biodiversity, evolutionary, environmental, and conservation studies. This increased use is occurring at a time when wild populations are declining and when habitat loss and overexploitation threatens others with extinction. As a consequence, many museum specimens truly cannot be replaced. Therefore, dissection and even limited modification of FLMNH herpetological specimens is not allowed without prior written approval by our curatorial staff.
Requests for any dissection require a formal letter printed or typed on institutional letterhead, describing the goal of the study, explaining why dissection is necessary, and outlining plans for publication. In addition, the request must indicate exactly what specimen would be dissected, what dissection procedure will be used, and what effect the dissection will have on the specimen.
Requests from students must be countersigned by their major professors, certifying that the student already is competent to perform such procedures.
Minor dissections, e.g., to determine sex, that are routinely necessary in taxonomic studies probably will be granted if requested by qualified investigators. Requests to do extensive dissection normally will be denied - unless the FLMNH curators are convinced that the dissections are necessary to solve an important systematic or evolutionary problem and specimens are not available elsewhere. Publication of the study in a refereed journal is expected. Opening specimens for reproductive or food studies will not be granted except in rare circumstances. In the few cases where dissection is allowed, all products of dissection or preparation, including, but not limited to, DNA samples, SEM stubs, histological or karyotypic slides, unused tissue samples, stomach contents, and parasites, are regarded as part of the specimens and must also be returned unless the loan agreement specifies otherwise. These products must be labeled to identify which individual specimen they came from and must be returned along with the specimen.
You may find this policy inconvenient. You may even find it infuriating. However, we are legally, professionally, and morally obligated to preserve these specimens and this collection in perpetuity.
Direct inquiries to the FLMNH Herpetology curator Max Nickerson or collection manager Kenneth Krysko.
Division of Herpetology
Florida Museum of Natural History
Museum Road, Dickinson Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611-7800
tel: 352 392 1721
fax: 352 846-0287