National Museum Research Articles

Depicting truth and transition at national memorial museums in Chile and Peru

Comparative analysis of Peru’s Place of Memory, Tolerance, and Social Inclusion and Chile’s Museum of Memory and Human Rights reveals different perspectives on how to represent past truth commissions and processes of transitioning from violence in national memorial museums. Chile’s Museum of Memory and Human Rights displays a foundational truth about state violence established through the work of the country’s truth commissions. Peru’s Place of Memory, Tolerance, and Social Inclusion was conceived as a space for presenting locally situated experiences of the country’s internal war; it is also characterized by subtle efforts to distance the museum from the narrative of the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Owing in part to such departures, Peru’s Place of Memory, Tolerance, and Social Inclusion offers material for questioning the country’s post-transition present that has generally been absent in the human rights-focused exhibition of the Museum of Memory and Human Rights. An assessment of these contrasts, evident in the museums’ institutional histories and permanent exhibitions, potentially unsettles assumptions about the role of official memorialization in the aftermath of truth commissions.

A Langur from Sumatra

Abstract Researchers interested in the colonial provenance of European natural history collections find themselves currently in an ambiguous position. On one hand, there is a fast-growing amount of digital services that provide them with statistics, names and lists of objects that have been accumulated in former colonial areas and are now stored in natural history museums in the Global North. On the other hand, these digital collection services fail to provide researchers with archival information on historical collection contexts, local names and meanings of animals and plants, and the labour, knowledges, colonial infrastructure and (epistemic) violence that were necessary to move tens of millions of natural objects across the globe. By zooming in on the digital representation of a black-crested Sumatran langur collected on the island of Sumatra (Indonesia) in the 1830s, this short paper reflects on the impact of these data absences on the further development of large-scale data infrastructures in the field. Inspired by earlier problematization of the digital turn in collection-based biodiversity sciences, this paper argues for the more sustained use of archival evidence so as to rethink what it means to infrastructure ‘biodiversity heritage’ collections in a digital age.

Mobilising Historical Botanical Data as Research

Abstract The ‘Vegetable Substances’ collection consists of 8,811 surviving botanical objects and a manuscript catalogue that contains over 12,700 handwritten descriptions of the contents of these boxes, according to the collector, Hans Sloane (1660–1752). This pre-Linnean collection forms part of the founding botanical collection of the Natural History Museum in London, and currently sits at the top of the Darwin Centre. The process of transforming this physical historical collection into something digital began over a decade ago and this focus piece reflects on this digital practice to date. It describes the different stages of creating a public-facing digital resource, and how this practice of mobilising data functions as research.

Sequencing RNA from old, dried specimens reveals past viromes and properties of long-surviving RNA.

Recovery of virus sequences from old samples provides an opportunity to study virus evolution and reconstruct historic virus-host interactions. Studies of old virus sequences have mainly relied on DNA or on RNA from fixed or frozen samples. The millions of specimens in natural history museums represent a potential treasure trove of old virus sequences, but it is not clear how well RNA survives in old samples. We experimentally assessed the stability of RNA in insects stored dry at room temperature over 72 weeks. Although RNA molecules grew fragmented, RNA yields remained surprisingly constant. RT-qPCR of host and virus RNA showed minimal differences between dried and frozen specimens. To assess RNA survival in much older samples we acquired Drosophila specimens from North American entomological collections. We recovered sequences from known and novel viruses including several coding complete virus genomes from a fly collected in 1908. We found that the virome of D. melanogaster has changed little over the past century. Galbut virus, the most prevalent virus infection in contemporary D. melanogaster , was also the most common in historic samples. Finally, we investigated the genomic and physical features of surviving RNA. RNA that survived was fragmented, chemically damaged, and preferentially double stranded or contained in ribonucleoprotein complexes. This showed that RNA - especially certain types of RNA - can survive in biological specimens over extended periods in the absence of fixation or freezing and confirms the utility of dried specimens to provide a clearer understanding of virus evolution.

Mont Saint-Hilaire: A National Treasure: A New Exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Nature

Mont Saint-Hilaire: A National Treasure: A New Exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Nature

Signature Specimen: Ludlockite at the Johannesburg Geological Museum, Johannesburg, South Africa

Signature Specimen: Ludlockite at the Johannesburg Geological Museum, Johannesburg, South Africa

Afrotropical Centistidea Rohwer, 1914 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) with description of four new species.

The braconid parasitoid wasp genus Centistidea Rohwer, 1914 is revised for the Afrotropical region, with four new species described; Centistideaareolaris Liu & Polaszek, sp. nov., C.linearis Liu & Polaszek, sp. nov., C.longipedes Liu & Polaszek, sp. nov., and C.turneri Liu & Polaszek, sp. nov. are described based on specimens from the Natural History Museum, United Kingdom, and the Royal Museum for Central Africa, Belgium. An illustrated key to species in the Afrotropical region is provided.

A specimen-based database of small-eared shrews (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Cryptotis) in the Neotropical Region.

This database compiles comprehensive occurrence information, based on voucher specimens of small-eared shrews, genus Cryptotis, that occur from México to Peru. The database integrates the information obtained from four main sources: natural history museums, public databases, fieldwork and scientific literature. It contains 3,639 records from 53 species in 12 countries. Of the total, 83.54% have collecting dates, 51.36% of the specimens are sexed and 84.56% have decimal degrees coordinates. By generating this database and making it publicly available, we hope to improve the biological knowledge of this group of small mammals still poorly studied in the region. It aims to be a valuable resource for students, researchers, conservationists and decision-makers. The dataset contains information on all species of the genus Cryptotis in the Neotropical Region (namely from México to Peru), incorporating the most updated taxonomic and nomenclatural changes. The database includes records in regions and countries that are poorly represented in currently available data repositories. Most records have verified temporal and spatial information.

The anomalous Mr Hubert H.D. Griffith (1877–1958), Australian field naturalist, collector and benefactor

ABSTRACT Hubert H.D. Griffith was a significant but neglected contributor in the scientific discovery of Australia’s natural heritage. Although his interests were forged in his youth in Tasmania, his return to Adelaide as a young man heralded an energetic engagement with leading scientific societies and figures over nearly two decades at the beginning of the twentieth century. His interests were wide, spanning insects, birds, plants and photography. In particular, he supported J.M. Black in his preparation of the Flora of South Australia. Griffith’s impressive collections of beetles and plants have been consulted by taxonomists for more than a century and are now preserved in various state and national museums and herbaria in Australia. One genus (Griffithia) and 14 species of beetles and an important southern Australian seagrass, Amphibolis griffithii, are named after him in recognition of his contributions to science. A longtime and respected citizen of Adelaide, another enduring legacy of Hubert and his wife May (née Scott) is the Griffith Hospital, a private rehabilitation hospital they endowed in the 1950s, which continues to provide valued services to the South Australian community.

An annotated type catalogue of praying mantises (Mantodea) in the Zoological Museum Hamburg (ZMH)

With this publication we provide an updated catalogue of the type material of mantises (Mantodea) deposited in the Zoological Museum Hamburg (ZMH). We report 84 type specimens (51 holotypes, 25 paratypes and 8 syntypes) belonging to 64 species (45 valid names and 19 synonyms). Furthermore, we present high resolution illustrations for these type specimens.

Descriptions of <i>Anthrenus</i> (s. str.) <i>senegalensis</i>, <i>Anthrenus</i> (s. str.) <i>crypticus</i>, a new species from Senegal, and <i>Anthrenus</i> (s. str.) <i>fosteri</i>, a new species from Algeria (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Megatominae)

All specimens labelled Anthrenus senegalensis were borrowed from the Natural History Museum, London. A. senegalensis is a poorly known species, so the aim is to provide a good description of the species associated with habitus and genitalia images. Three species were noted in the sample: A. senegalensis, A. crypticus sp. nov., and A. fosteri sp. nov.. A. crypticus and A. fosteri are described along with A. senegalensis, the most likely confusion species. Habitus and genitalia images of all three species are provided.

Cultural Heritage Disaster Risk Management Network Promotion Council & Natural History Museums: Pre- & Post-Disaster Response in Japan

Cultural Heritage Disaster Risk Management Network Promotion Council & Natural History Museums: Pre- & Post-Disaster Response in Japan

A queen’s tale: Assessing the hidden potential of beeswax specimens in Natural History Museum collections

Background Natural history museum specimens of historical honeybees have been successfully used to explore the species’ genomic past, indicating fast and rapid changes between historical and modern specimens, possibly as a response to current challenges. In our study we explore a potential new untapped archive from natural history collections - specimens of historical beeswax. We examine an intact and closed Apis mellifera mellifera queen cell specimen from the 19th century. Methods In our study, we examine the queen cell by X-ray Computed Tomography (CT). Subsequently, a micro-destructive approach was used to explore the possibility of protein extraction from the cell for a palaeoproteomic analysis. Results Our results to reveal a perfectly preserved queen bee inside her cell. We were successful in extracting proteins from the residual material inside the queen cell, and were able to identify the material as containing several bee-related proteins, including major royal jelly proteins (MJRPs). Conclusions Our study show that studies on specimens such as the queen cell provide valuable information about the past rearing of queens, their diet, and their development, which is relevant for understanding current honeybees and their challenges.

The curious case of the Dana platypus and what it can teach us about how lead shotgun pellets behave in fluid preserved museum specimens and may limit their scientific value.

Fluid preserved animal specimens in the collections of natural history museums constitute an invaluable archive of past and present animal diversity. Well-preserved specimens have a shelf-life spanning centuries and are widely used for e.g. anatomical, taxonomical and genetic studies. The way specimens were collected depended on the type of animal and the historical setting. As many small mammals and birds were historically collected by shooting, large quantities of heavy metal residues, primarily lead, may have been introduced into the sample in the form of lead shot pellets. Over time, these pellets may react with tissue fluids and/or the fixation and preservation agents and corrode into lead salts. As these chemicals are toxic, they could constitute a health issue to collection staff. Additionally, heavy element chemicals interfere with several imaging technologies increasingly used for non-invasive studies, and may confound anatomical and pathological investigations on affected specimens. Here we present a case-study based on platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and other small mammals containing lead pellets from the collection of The Natural History Museum of Denmark.

Valorization of Historical Natural History Collections Through Digitization: The Algarium Vatova-Schiffner.

Digitization of Natural History Collections (NHCs) and mobilization of their data are pivotal for their study, preservation, and accessibility. Furthermore, thanks to digitization and mobilization, Natural History Museums can better showcase their collections, potentially attracting more visitors. However, the optimization of digitization workflows, especially when addressing small and/or historical NHCs, remains a challenge. Starting from a practical example, this contribution aims at providing a general guideline for the digitization of historical NHCs, with a particular focus on pre-digitization planning, during which some decisions should be made for ensuring a smooth, cost- and time-effective digitization process. The digitization of the algarium by Aristocle Vatova and Victor Schiffner was carried out following an image-to-data workflow, which allowed for reducing the handling of the specimens. The metadata were organized according to the Darwin Core standard scheme, and, together with the digital images of the specimens, have been made available to the scientific community and to the general public via an online portal. Thanks to the application of digital technologies and standardized methods, the accessibility of the collection has been enhanced, and its integration with historical data is possible, highlighting the relevance of shared experiences and protocols in advancing the digital transformation of natural history heritage.

Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho’s scientific correspondence: historical connections between oceanography and marine biology from Portugal (1919–1949)

This article presents Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho’s scientific correspondence between 1919 and 1949, both nationally and internationally. It consists of 181 unpublished letters, exchanged with 30 relevant figures belonging to 11 countries, including France, the UK, Croatia, Japan, Germany, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Morocco, Belgium and Spain. This correspondence shows a network among different research institutions devoted to the marine sciences. This includes biological stations, such as the Istituto Italo-Germanico di Biologia Marina, laboratories and museums, e. g. the British Museum of Natural History. At the national level, the correspondence between Ramalho and Augusto Nobre represents a historical axis between Lisbon and Porto, involving two of the most relevant scientists in the fields of oceanography and marine biology. At the international level, Ramalho corresponded with personalities such as Henry Gascoyne Maurice and other members of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, including for example the oceanographer Vagn Walfrid Ekman. This correspondence represents an archival discovery of the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere in Lisbon, marking a decisive historical scientific moment for both Portuguese and international contexts in the field of marine sciences. This article aims to reconstruct Portugal’s internal and external networks.

Effects of Urbanization on Community Composition and Conditions of Birds in Wetland Ecosystems

Urbanization in wetlands has negatively impacted bird species diversity and populations. It is important to be able to predict the consequences for avian biodiversity and to identify wetlands of special value to the maintenance of local wetland communities. This study involved conducting point counts across four permanent urban wetlands at the University of Florida and three retention ponds in the Gainesville, FL vicinity to observe patterns in wetland bird species diversity and populations. This study also utilized data from the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) to explore differences in phenotypes of wetland bird specimens. The local wetlands showed trends where specific species thrived in one type of area versus the other. Egrets were frequently observed in larger wetlands, and double-crested cormorants were observed more frequently in smaller ones. Additionally, retention ponds showed promise as a conservation method, dependent on their depth and size. The largest retention pond attracted many bird species in great numbers, showing promise for methods to negate negative the impact of human activity and climate change. Characterization for data collected at the FLMNH on both weight and species analyzed across numerous regional locations showed a negative trend between specimen weight and time progression.

First record of <i>Abrothrix olivacea</i> (Waterhouse, 1837) in Peru based on historical material from Tacna

Abrotrichini is the sigmodontine tribe with the fewest species in Peru, known only from two species: Abrothrix andina and Ab. jelskii, both distributed in the high Andean regions of Peru above 3000 m in altitude. A detailed review of the morphology of historical specimens collected in the Tacna department and identified as Akodon mollis was conducted. As a result, we found that the examined specimens corresponded to Abrothrix olivacea, a species previously known only from Chile and Argentina. This discovery represents the first record of this species in Peru, extending its distribution range 165 km north of its previous northernmost record in Quebrada Camarones, Arica-Parinacota, Chile. Furthermore, this finding significantly reduces the distribution range of Akodon mollis to the northwestern region of Peru. We also provide key craniodental characters to differentiate species of Abrothrix and Akodon in southwestern Peru and northern Chile. For Peru, this record increases the diversity of mammals to 588 species and rodents to 201 species. In the case of the Tacna department, mammalian diversity increases to 47 species. This work highlights the value of natural history museum collections in enhancing our understanding of species diversity.

Setting the record straight: a re-examination of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Cyprus deposited at the Museum of Zoology of Athens

Situated in the Eastern Mediterranean, the island of Cyprus is a biodiversity hotspot hosting an important number of endemic species. In recent years, its myrmecofauna has been increasingly enriched with the detection of both new alien and native species as well as the description of new endemic taxa. Nevertheless, earlier reports of dubious taxa remaining in scientific literature constitute an impediment towards the study of the island’s biodiversity. This article summarizes the results of re-examination of a collection of ants deposited in the Museum of Zoology of the University of Athens, which was a source of some faunistic records recently published as a conference poster. Specimens have been re-identified, and their metadata have been digitalised, supplementing our knowledge of the species’ distribution and correcting previous misidentifications. Tapinoma festae Emery, 1925, Tapinoma glabrella (Nylander, 1849) (Dolichoderinae), Plagiolepis perperamus Salata, Borowiec & Radchenko, 2018, Plagiolepis xene Stärcke, 1936 (Formicinae), Crematogaster lorteti Forel, 1910, and Tetramorium indocile Santschi, 1927 (Myrmicinae) are reported for the first time for the island. Adiitionally, a new distributional record is also provided for Camponotus cf. vitiosus, an enigmatic alien species on Cyprus. Lastly, a number of dubious records are removed from the checklist of Cypriot ants with notes on further taxa that could be removed in the future.

Beginnings of Polish archaeological museums in the 19th century

The first Polish archaeological museums or those with archaeological departments – institutions dealing withgathering collections, conducting research, organizing exhibitions and publishing works devoted to archaeology, as it was understood at that time – began to be established in the mid-19th century. They were created by scientific societies or on the initiative of private individuals. They were: the Museum of Antiquities of the Kraków Scientific Society, the Museum of Antiquities in Vilnius, the Museum of Polish and Slavic Antiquities in the Grand Duchy of Poznań, the Museum of the Toruń Scientific Society, the Museum of the Lubomirski Princes in Lviv and the Dzieduszycki Natural History Museum in Lviv. The article discusses the beginnings of Polish archaeological museums, their creation, the scope and shape of the collections, methods of obtaining artefacts, the headquarters and the further fate of these institutions.