National Museum Research Articles

Examining elevation and thermoregulatory trait differences of endemic tropical swallowtail butterflies to assess their vulnerability to climate change

Abstract Tropical montane insects are vulnerable to climate change if up‐hill range retractions reduce range sizes and increase extinction risk. Endemic species will be particularly at risk if they disproportionately occur at higher elevations, although threats may be ameliorated if they have morphological traits associated with improved thermoregulatory ability. We examine the vulnerability of endemic swallowtail butterflies on Sulawesi (Indonesia) to climate change by quantifying inter‐specific variation in traits associated with thermoregulation (body size and melanism) and whether species' traits are associated with the elevation of species' ranges. We collected data on size, melanism and elevation of 29 swallowtail butterfly species (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) from 754 specimens at the Natural History Museum (United Kingdom) and the Zoologische Staatssammlung München (Germany). Endemic butterflies were less melanised (16 endemic species, mean = 83% melanised; 13 non‐endemic species = 89% melanised) but similar to non‐endemics in size (endemic, mean = 56 mm; non‐endemic = 53 mm) and elevation (endemic, mean = 345 m.a.s.l.; non‐endemic: 291 m). There was no evidence that species size or melanism patterns were related to elevation in either group. Few differences in elevation of endemic and non‐endemic species imply that endemic swallowtail butterflies are not disproportionately more threatened by climate‐driven mountaintop extirpation than non‐endemic species. Further work is needed to examine whether paler wings alter the ability of endemic species to thermoregulate and adapt to changing climates. In the absence of reductions in anthropogenic global greenhouse gas emissions, on‐going climate warming will continue to threaten tropical montane species.

Not all apparently gynandromorphic butterflies are gynandrous: The case of Polyommatus icarus and its relatives (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Beside the more than two thousand normal specimens of Polyommatus icarus (Rottemburg, 1775) yielded by rearing experiments, there was one perfectly bilateral dichromatic individual first considered to be gynandrous. On the basis of analysing genitalia traits, wing surface covering scale micromorphology, and the spectral characteristics of the blue colour generated by the cover scales, the gender of the specimen has been identified as female. This exemplar was investigated in comparison with gynandrous specimens from the collections of the Hungarian Natural History Museum exhibiting various degrees of intermixing of blue and brown coloration. Focus stacking microscopy for detailed scale morphology and UV–visible reflectance spectroscopy was used for the characterization of the optical properties. Inspecting literature references and the Lycaenidae collection of the museum, further examples have been found for female bilateral dichromatism in the closely related polyommatine lycaenid species Lysandra bellargus (Rottemburg, 1775) and Lysandra coridon (Poda, 1761) what suggests that polyommatine female dichromaticity may be displayed by the manner of bilaterality and mosaicism, phenomena hitherto solely connected to gynandromorphy.

Tokens of love and loss: Plugging into the affective entanglements of online museum spaces exhibiting tokens of love and loss at the Foundling Museum, London; Museo degli Innocenti, Florence; National Museum of Australia, Canberra

Tokens of love and loss: Plugging into the affective entanglements of online museum spaces exhibiting tokens of love and loss at the Foundling Museum, London; Museo degli Innocenti, Florence; National Museum of Australia, Canberra

Untangling the Magelonidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) of southern Africa, including the description of a new species

‘A monograph on the Polychaeta of Southern Africa’ by J. H. Day, published in 1967 and covering over 700 species, was considered an essential reference text for marine biologists. Nonetheless, despite the major contribution it has made, we now know that the biodiversity of Polychaeta (commonly known as bristleworms) in southern Africa has been underestimated by more than 500 species. As one of the top 20 polychaete families highlighted as requiring revision in southern Africa, direct observation of magelonids in the collections of Iziko Museums of South Africa and Natural History Museum, London identified by John Day, and additional material has been carried out. This has revealed that the original description of Magelona capensis was based on two species. Consequently, an additional redescription of the holotype of M. capensis is provided herein, and the additional material is described as Magelona ekapa sp. nov. The new species shares similarities with eight species comprising the ‘Magelona pitelkai group’, which is further discussed. A redescription of M. cincta is also provided based on the holotype and freshly collected material. A specimen from Morrumbene Estuary, southern Mozambique, originally identified as M. cincta likely represents an undescribed species: images and a description are provided here, but the species will remain undescribed until further material becomes available. A dichotomous indentification key and a table of characters is provided for all known southern African species of the Magelonidae.

Effects of Museum AR Commentary Experience on Visitor’s Satisfaction and Behavioral Intention: Focusing on MZ-Generation in The National Museum of China

Effects of Museum AR Commentary Experience on Visitor’s Satisfaction and Behavioral Intention: Focusing on MZ-Generation in The National Museum of China

New taxa of Afrotropical Toktokkies (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Molurina) from the Natural History Museum of Basel

Investigation of the darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) specimens from the Natural History Museum Basel (Switzerland) resulted in the discovery of two new species of Afrotropical toktokkies (tribe Sepidiini). Both taxa provided novel morphological data which, in the light of previously acquired molecular evidence, challenged the taxonomic coherence of the genus Dichtha. To accommodate this information a new genus Bouchardium gen. nov. is hereby proposed. The three following species were assigned to this new genus: Bouchardium chillygonzalesi sp. nov. (type species), B. cubicum (Guérin-Méneville, 1845) comb. nov. (transferred from Dichtha), B. mariae sp. nov. The placement of Bouchardium within the subtribe Molurina is briefly discussed. Additionally, a new species of the genus Toktokkus (T. zofiae sp. nov.) is described from South Africa.

New record of Joffre’s pipistrelle, Mirostrellus joffrei (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), in China

Mirostrellus joffrei Thomas, 1915 is the sole species within the genus Mirostrellus and its occurrence is notably rare in China. Despite the recent discovery of four previously unreported specimens from western Yunnan, China (Zaoteng River, 25.31°N, 98.80°E, altitude 1451 m) at the National Museum of Prague in the Czech Republic, comprehensive descriptions or detailed accounts of this species within China have yet to be published. During a field expedition within the Guanyinshan Provincial Nature Reserve, Yuanyang, Yunnan, China, a bat was captured using a mist net. The specimen was of moderate size, with its ventral surface presenting a golden-brown hue and its dorsal surface ranging from dark brown to obsidian. The forearm measured 37.31 mm, while the fifth digit was conspicuously diminished in comparison to the others. The snout was robust, featuring prominent buccal glands. It was characterised by a well-developed upper frame and a barely visible low sagittal crest. The upper canines possessed well-developed posterior cusps. The dentition comprised two upper and two lower premolars, with the first upper premolar being notably small and the lower molars being distinctly myotodont. These attributes correspond with the known traits of Mirostrellus joffrei. Phylogenetically, the sequence of this specimen clustered with that of M. joffrei, forming an independent clade. Through an examination of its morphological characteristics and a phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b), cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and recombination activating gene 2 (RAG2) sequences, we identified the specimen as M. joffrei, thus confirming the presence of Joffre’s pipistrelle in China.

Mysteries surrounding the Hector’s Dolphin holotype Electra hectori P.-J. Van Beneden, 1881

ABSTRACT For more than 140 years, the type locality of the Hector’s dolphin, Cephalorhynchus hectori [Van Beneden 1881] and the whereabouts of the holotype have been in question. The species was based on a specimen from New Zealand, sent to Otto Finsch in Germany. Finsch forwarded the specimen to Pierre-Joseph Van Beneden in Belgium who described it as Electra hectori, without specifying whether its location was the NE coast of the South or the North Island. Of the six persons who may have shipped out the holotype, von Haast, Hutton, or Travers are the most likely; Potts, Hector and Buller are less plausible. The connections between NZ and European museums were analysed. Based on our review and the rarity of records from the NE coast of the North Island, we believe that the NE coast of the South Island should be considered the type locality, consistent with the nomenclature of the two subspecies C. h. hectori and C. h. maui. The holotype was partially destroyed at Leuven Museum during WWII, while remaining bones, transferred to the national museum in Brussels, possibly in 1964, were lost. Finally, we propose to change the species name to Aotearoa dolphin, to distinguish from the true Hector’s dolphin, the nominate subspecies C. hectori hectori.

JUBILIEJINĖS SUKAKTYS: GEOLOGIJOS MOKSLO POPULIARINIMAS BEI NEFORMALAUS GAMTAMOKSLINIO UGDYMO VU GEOLOGIJOS MUZIEJUJE AKTYVINIMAS

During the festive year, one does not want to talk about problems [although the situation of geological science in general education school programs has not improved, in the newly prepared textbooks (if they will be published) it continues to be pushed to the place of the most abused stepdaughter], so we are happy with the successful events of the last anniversary year. We are happy with the increasing traffic. Not counting the visitors who participated in the previously listed events, in 2023, 230 excursions (about 4,500 visitors) came to the Museum of Geology, 48 excursions for ~930 schoolchildren with exercises (educational activities); there were themed evenings for the public + museum excursion on weekends 4, ~80 visitors. Educational classes + excursion in the museum on weekends - 10 (~190 visitors). The constantly updated display "Our latest popular achievements and latest scientific reports" (visited by ~4900). Consultations - identification of brought finds: ~300 (the number of finds varies). A total of ~5,000 visitors heard about geology (not counting TV viewers). Keywords: anniversary, meteorite, geology museum, informal science education, Vilnius University

Notice of formal repository of the remaining teeth of an associated fossil specimen of the megatooth shark, Otodus megalodon (Lamniformes: Otodontidae), to the Saitama Museum of Natural History, Japan

ABSTRACT In 1989, the occurrence of 73 associated teeth of the megatooth shark, Otodus megalodon (Lamniformes: Otodontidae) was reported from the late Miocene Tsuchishio Formation in northern Saitama Prefecture, Japan. However, part of the tooth set remained uncatalogued. This short note is to document the permanent repository of the remaining teeth officially to the Saitama Museum of Natural History.

Discrimination of ivory from extant and extinct elephant species using Raman spectroscopy: A potential non-destructive technique for combating illegal wildlife trade.

The use of elephant ivory as a commodity is a factor in declining elephant populations. Despite recent worldwide elephant ivory trade bans, mammoth ivory trade remains unregulated. This complicates law enforcement efforts, as distinguishing between ivory from extant and extinct species requires costly, destructive and time consuming methods. Elephant and mammoth ivory mainly consists of dentine, a mineralized connective tissue that contains an organic collagenous component and an inorganic component of calcium phosphate minerals, similar in structure to hydroxyapatite crystals. Raman spectroscopy is a non-invasive laser-based technique that has previously been used for the study of bone and mineral chemistry. Ivory and bone have similar biochemical properties, making Raman spectroscopy a promising method for species identification based on ivory. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that it is possible to identify differences in the chemistry of mammoth and elephant ivory using Raman spectroscopy. Mammoth and elephant tusks were obtained from the Natural History Museum in London, UK. Included in this study were eight samples of ivory from Mammuthus primigenius, two samples of carved ivory bangles from Africa (Loxodonta species), and one cross section of a tusk from Elephas maximus. The ivory was scanned using an inVia Raman micro spectrometer equipped with a x50 objective lens and a 785nm laser. Spectra were acquired using line maps and individual spectral points were acquired randomly or at points of interest on all samples. The data was then analysed using principal component analysis (PCA) with use of an in-house MATLAB script. Univariate analysis of peak intensity ratios of phosphate to amide I and III peaks, and carbonate to phosphate peaks showed statistical differences (p<0.0001) in the average peak intensity ratios between Mammuthus primigenius, Loxodonta spp. and Elephas maximus. Full width at half maximum hight (FWHM)analysis of the phosphate peak demonstrated higher crystal maturity of Mammuthus primigenius compared to living elephant species. The results of the study have established that spectra acquired by Raman spectroscopy can be separated into distinct classes through PCA. In conclusion, this study has shown that well-preserved mammoth and elephant ivory has the potential to be characterized using Raman spectroscopy, providing a promising method for species identification. The results of this study will be valuable in developing quick and non-destructive methods for the identification of ivory, which will have direct applications in archaeology and the regulation of international trade.

Marvette Pérez: A Visionary Smithsonian Curator

Details the career of Marvette Perez (1961–2013), the first Latina curator at the National Museum of American History. Essay emphasizes her curatorial accomplishments, focusing on her collecting practices including some of the larger and smaller acquisitions that she added to the national collections of the Smithsonian Institution. Large collections discussed include the Teodoro Collection of Puerto Rican History, the Goya Foods Inc. Collection, and the Celia Cruz Collection. Smaller collections mentioned include the Diosa Costello Collection, the Tito Puente Collection, the Mongo Santamaria Collection, and a collection of panos from New Mexico. Archival collections are also referenced such as the Clotilde Arias Collection, Latin Jazz Oral History Program, and the Puerto Rican Division of Community Education. Also mentioned is the prior history of Hispanic collecting in the museum conducted by curator Richard Ahlborn which focused on Spanish settlements in the southwestern United States.

Long-term dataset for contaminants in fish, mussels, and bird eggs from the Baltic Sea

Widespread persistent contaminants are a global environmental problem. In the Baltic Sea, wildlife contamination was first noticed in the 1960s, prompting the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency to establish a comprehensive Swedish National Monitoring Programme for Contaminants in Marine Biota (MCoM) in 1978 run by the Swedish Museum of Natural History. Eight species have been analysed, four fish species (Atlantic herring, Atlantic cod, European perch, viviparous eelpout), one bivalve species (blue mussel), and egg from three bird species (common guillemot, common tern, Eurasian oystercatcher). Here, we present a dataset containing MCoM data from its start until 2021. It includes 36 sets of time-series, each analysed for more than 100 contaminants. The longest time-series is for common guillemot and starts in 1968. We describe the structure of MCoM including historic changes to the number of stations, sample treatment, analytical methods, instruments, and laboratories. The MCoM data is available at the Bolin Centre repository and on GitHub through our R package mcomDb. The latter will be updated yearly with new MCoM records.

Non-marine ostracods from the Cretaceous Banyaweol and Geoncheonri formations (Gyeongsang Basin, Korea) in the collections of the Geological Museum, KIGAM: Taxonomy, biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography and palaeoenvironment

ABSTRACT The Geological Museum of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) houses a large collection of microfossils. From these collections, 14 species belonging to six genera of non-marine ostracods from the Banyaweol and Geoncheonri formations of the Gyeongsang Basin, South Korea are identified: Cypridea sp. 1, C. sp. 2, C. sp. 3, C. sp. 4, C. sp. 5, C? sp. 6, Lycopterocypris triangularis, L. cf. profunda, Candona declivis, C. sp. Cypria cf. elata, Djungarica sp. Ziziphocypris costata and Z. rugosa. The biostratigraphic correlation based on L. triangularis and C. declivis from the Cenomanian Banyaweol Formation suggests that these species appeared at a much earlier stage than the previous records from China. Ostracods of the Banyaweol Formation may represent a transitional fauna during the mid-Cretaceous faunal turnover in East Asia. However, L. cf. profunda and C. cf. elata suggest a Turonian – Santonian age (probably extend upwards into Campanian) for the Geoncheonri Formation. Many non-endemic species of both formations indicate that these faunas were linked with ostracod faunas of East Asia, providing evidence of active faunal exchanges and migration. The palaeoenvironments of both formations are interpreted as ephemeral waterbodies and unstable shallow-littoral zone of lakes based on faunal compositions.

Diving into a Heritage Metaverse: Learning from End User-driven Experiences and Perspectives to Enhance Virtual Heritage Interpretation

This study aims to explore the potential of the metaverse to determine if it can be an effective medium for realizing an end-user-driven heritage interpretation platform. To this end, we conducted an in-depth user-study using a combination of qualitative experimental methods (cultural probes and a focus group interview) to obtain data on the thought processes, experiences, and responses of end-users within the metaverse called the Peaceful Hill, a heritage metaverse created by the National Museum of Korea and hosted on Zepeto, a metaverse platform. The twelve participants in their 20s were recruited for a five-day experiment. Through an inductive thematic study, four themes related to the end-user experience in the process of virtual heritage interpretation were identified, as follows: structural components as virtual wider settings, interactive components as life-logging experience, mediating components as an actor, and heritage interpretation components. Then, based on the visual network analysis, we further explored the multiple connections and reciprocal influences of the above themes to uncover differences and similarities in user-perceived experiences in the metaverse compared to existing virtual environments. In addition, we offered insights and design considerations for establishing a participatory heritage interpretation experience in the metaverse.

New records of earthworms (Clitellata: Oligochaeta) from Georgia, USA, including eight new state records

We present here new county records for 13 counties within Georgia, USA from the collections of the Georgia Museum of Natural History and the authors. These include four families, eight genera, and 23 species. Of these, eight species are new state records: Amynthas carnosus (Goto &amp; Hatai, 1899); Aporrectodea longa (Ude, 1885); Bimastos parvus (Eisen, 1874); Diplocardia deborahae Damoff &amp; Reynolds, 2017; Diplocardia gatesi Murchie, 1965; Diplocardia michaelseni Eisen, 1899; Metaphire hilgendorfi (Michaelsen, 1892); and Murchieona minuscula (Rosa, 1906). These findings are presented alongside an updated checklist for Middle Georgia building on data compiled by Reynolds (2015) to create a practical record for the region.

The formation of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior in natural history museum scene: A configuration analysis based on motivation–opportunity–ability theory

Tourists’ pro-environmental behavior is crucial for the sustainable growth of the tourism sector. While existing studies mainly examine the direct effects of individual factors on such behavior, there is a gap in understanding the comprehensive antecedent system that drives it. In this study, grounded in MOA theory and focused on a natural history museum scene, we developed a comprehensive framework to analyze the antecedent system of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. We argue that the formation of this behavior in museum tourists is not a single element but a combination of three critical factors: motivation, opportunity, and ability (MOA). Using the fsQCA method to analyze data from 276 tourists, we identified four distinct pathways that promote pro-environmental behavior in museum tourists: MOA equilibrium type, motivation–ability-oriented type, motivation–opportunity-oriented type, and ability-oriented type. This study enhances our understanding of the complex interactions among various factors influencing tourists’ pro-environmental behavior and provides insightful implications for the practice of museum tourism.

How to Curate and Digitize Bryozoa: Experiences at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

We report on curation and digitization experiences of a large collection of Bryozoa (&gt;19,759 of estimated 38,000 lots digitized, &gt;1,000 type lots). Storage of one to two histology slides in capped glass vials and larger series in twenty-five-slot histology boxes is optimal. Bulk dry material is stored in acid-free containers (cardboard, plastic). Fluid specimens are stored in 70 percent ethanol, with small specimens housed in 20 ml scintillation vials with conical polypropylene lined screw caps. Digitizing is most effective by georeferencing immediately. Unidentified material should at least be roughly identified (family, genus) to encourage loans and ensuing expert identification. Taxonomy and nomenclature are challenging and require an experienced taxonomist. Approaches to specimen counts are discussed.

Made in Africa: Tapestry and the Topography of Swedish Philanthropy in Southern Africa

ABSTRACT During the 1960s, tapestries from Swedish art and craft centres in southern Africa were acclaimed in the Nordic country as an outcome of its own expertise and largesse. Yet when these works by marginalised women artists in Africa were exhibited at the National Museum in Stockholm in 1970, they were dismissed as the fruits of Swedish cultural imperialism and naive artistic minds. Despite the ensuing public debate, the exhibition and its discourses, like the works themselves, are little known in southern Africa and now largely forgotten in Sweden. In considering the visual vocabularies of some of these tapestries, many of which were woven at the renowned centre at Rorke’s Drift in KwaZulu-Natal, this article addresses the implications of these Swedish ‘culture-rescue’ projects, showing how women’s artistic ‘voices’ on the subcontinent were silenced, not merely by apartheid suppression but also in Swedish representations. By interrogating the attitudes that the audiences of the exhibitions held towards black women artists, the article reveals how the tapestries’ woven iconographies were a complex response to circumstance, covertly interrogating white hegemony while invested with self-definition.

"To honor and remember": An ethical awakening to African American remains in museums.

In 2021, amid surging activism in the Movement for Black Lives, the Smithsonian Institution's possession of the remains of thousands of African Americans drew widespread attention. In response, the Smithsonian and its National Museum of Natural History undertook a series of steps to assess these remains and to develop a policy for returning as many as possible to descendants and descendant communities, under changes that would apply to all non-Native American remains in Smithsonian collections. This paper reviews the actions taken to date and the work that is still in progress or planned. I contextualize these steps more broadly within an "ethical awakening" to African American remains that have long been present, studied, and displayed in collections across the museum community in the United States, where other institutions have faced similar challenges and changes.