Journal article
Importance of building a digital species index (spindex) for entomology collections: A case study, results and recommendations
Biodiversity data journal, v 8(2), pp 1-26
23 Dec 2020
PMID: 33390759
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
The Entomology Collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (ANSP) contains approximately four million insect specimens including some of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Like most large entomology collections, no complete inventory of the species represented in the collection was available and even a physical search for a species could not ensure that all available specimens would be recovered for study. Between 2010 and 2014, we created a species-level index (called here spindex) of all species and their specimen counts at ANSP, along with each species' location in the collection. Additional data captured during the project included the higher level classification of each species and type of specimen preparation. The spindex is searchable online: http://symbiont.ansp.org/entomology/. The spindex project documented 96,126 species in the ANSP Entomology Collection, representing about 10% of the described insect fauna. Additionally, over 900 putative primary types were discovered outside the Primary Type Collection. The completion of this project has improved access to the collection by enabling scientists and other users worldwide to search these collection holdings remotely and has facilitated staff in curation, research, collection management and funding proposals. A spindex is an important tool that is overlooked for planning and carrying out specimen level digitisation. This project is a case study for building a species-level index. A detailed protocol is provided, along with recommendations for other collections, including cost estimates and strategies for tracking progress and avoiding common obstacles.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Importance of building a digital species index (spindex) for entomology collections: A case study, results and recommendations
- Creators
- Stephen Mason - Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel UniversityIsabelle Betancourt - Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel UniversityJon Gelhaus - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Biodiversity data journal, v 8(2), pp 1-26
- Publisher
- Pensoft Publishers
- Number of pages
- 26
- Grant note
- Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Collection Care Upgrade Fund (ANSP)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES); Entomology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000602257900001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85099135903
- Other Identifier
- 991019168192904721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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Source: SDGs in the Output
InCites Highlights
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- Web of Science research areas
- Biodiversity Conservation