Naturalis Research Articles

Quantifying the use of natural history collections.

Measuring the use of natural history collections is essential to understand their past and present impact on science, to underpin decisions about their management and to assist with deploying them optimally to address societal challenges. Using the vast natural history collections of Naturalis Biodiversity Center as an example, this paper assesses the significance and relevance of quantifying collection use. Four aspects are discussed: 1. standardisation, 2. relevance of having standardised metrics on collection use, 3. the level of detail and completeness of the information and 4. the interactions between digitisation of collections and physical collection use. Based on a set of transparent and objective parameters to describe collection use, it is proposed to further develop these into international standards.

The genera Chrysillaand Phintelloidesrevisited with the description of a new species (Araneae, Salticidae) using digital specimen DOIs and nanopublications.

Two Southeast Asian spider collections: that of Frances and John Murphy, now in the Manchester University Museum and the Deeleman collection, now at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden constituted the basis of this analysis of Chrysilla Thorell, 1887 and related genera. The latter collection also includes many thousands of spiders obtained by canopy fogging for an ecological project in Borneo by A. Floren. Some incongruences within the genera of the tribe Chrysillini are disentangled. The transfer of C.jesudasi Caleb & Mathai, 2014 from Chrysilla as type species of Phintelloides Kanesharatnam & Benjamin, 2019, based on analysis of molecular data is validated by morphology. An interesting new species known only from the forest canopy in Borneo, Phintelloidesscandens sp. nov, is described based on both male and female specimens. Distinguishing chrysilline genera is mostly based on traditional somatic characters, e.g., habitus, carapace and abdomen patterns, mouthparts, and genital organs. The utility of two character systems for distinguishing chrysilline genera is highlighted: 1) the presence of a flexible, articulating embolic tegular branch (etb) in combination with the conformation of the characteristic construction of the epigyne in Chrysilla and Phintelloides; 2) presence of red colour on carapace and abdomen of live males and females, in combination with abundant blue/violet/white iridescent scales such as inChrysilla and Siler. The red colour usually gets lost in alcohol, hampering species identification of alcohol material. The genera Chrysilla andPhintelloidesare redefined. Specimens of the heretofore unknown female of Chrysilla deelemani Prószyński & Deeleman-Reinhold, 2010 are described. The male and female ofChrysillalauta and male of C.volupe are redescribed. The genus Chrysilla is diagnosed and discriminated from PhintellaBösenberg & Strand, 1906, SilerSimon, 1889, Phintelloides Kanesharatnam & Benjamin, 2019 andProszynskiaKanesharatnam & Benjamin, 2019. The structure of the female genital organ of Phintelloidesflavumi Kanesharatnam & Benjamin, 2019 is scrutinized and the generic placement of Phintelloides is discussed. Males and females of one of the most variable species, Phintelloidesversicolor (C. L. Koch, 1846) are redescribed.Phintelloidesmunita(Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) is removed from synonymy with P.versicolor. Phintellaleucaspis Simon 1903 (male, Sumatra) is synonymized withP.versicolor.Biodiversity data are increasingly reliant on digital infrastructure. By linking physical specimens to digital representations of their associated data, we can lower barriers to information flow. Here we demonstrate a workflow whereby persistent identifiers (PIDs) in the form of DOIs issued by DataCite are assigned to specimens. Recognized taxa are identified by their catalog of life identifier, or by registration in ZooBank where no catalog of life identifier is available. We demonstrate the use of nanopublications, creating a series of machine readable, scientifically meaningful assertions regarding the provenance and identification of cited specimens. All human agents associated with the specimen data are linked to a persistent identifier issued by either ORCiD or Wikidata.

Specimens in the National Herbarium of Victoria, Australia (MEL) and in Naturalis Biodiversity Center of Leiden, Netherlands (L) associated with Albertini and Schweinitz's Conspectus fungorum in Lusatiae superioris

AbstractThe fate of the fungus specimens used by Johann Baptist von Albertini and Lewis David von Schweinitz for their publication Conspectus fungorum in Lusatiae superioris has been unknown. Some 73 specimens corresponding to new taxa described in this classic mycological text were recently brought to light in the National Herbarium of Victoria (MEL) in Melbourne, Australia. Here, we document the history and provenance of these specimens and analyze them in light of archived manuscripts and correspondence. Our research confirms that the specimens at MEL can be considered original material of the names of new species described in the Conspectus. We also document several specimens that are likely original material in the Persoon fungus collection at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands (L). Finally, we consider the potential impact of finding original material on Albertini & Schweinitz names that have been neotypified.

A catalogue and redescription of type specimens of fireflies (Coleoptera, Lampyridae, Luciolinae) deposited in Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden

Type specimens of flashing fireflies (Coleoptera, Lampyridae, Luciolinae) in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden (RMNH) collection were documented. Specimens explicitly marked or indicated as types belonging to the lucioline fireflies were investigated with each specimen and its accompanying labels photographed, and its morphological characters analysed and compared with the original species description. The genitalia dissections of selected types enabled redescription and clarification of the taxonomic status of seven name-bearing type specimens. This study provides the first redescriptions of holotypes, designation of lectotypes for five species, and confirmation that two of these belong in the genus Luciola s. str. A lectotype and paralectotype were designated for two specimens of Luciola cerea Gorham, 1882 which is confirmed to belong to the genus Curtos Motschulsky, 1845. Atyphella testaceolineata Pic, 1939 was redescribed and figured based on the holotype (an incomplete specimen). We assigned Luciola laticollis Gorham, 1883 and Luciola nicollieri Bugnion, 1922 to Luciola sensu stricto and Luciola picea Gorham, 1882 to species inquirenda. The identity of Pteroptyx decolor Olivier, 1911 is finally confirmed as a close Indonesian relative of Pteroptyx valida Olivier,1909 and a lectotype is designated. In addition, we take the first opportunity to present pictures of the original holotype of Pygoluciola stylifer Wittmer, 1939. We also discuss the challenges taxonomists face in identifying specimens and how detailed dissections allow us to present descriptions of certain male features not previously addressed.

Taxonomic notes on toad bug genus Nerthra (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gelastocoridae) with description of a new species from Bonaire and Curaçao

During an inventory of the Gelastocoridae in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands (formerly Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden, The Netherlands), and the Nieser & Chen Collection in Tiel, The Netherlands, we came across an undescribed species of Nerthra Say, 1832 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gelastocoridae: Nerthrinae). The specimens were collected from Bonaire and Curaçao, Kingdom of the Netherlands, and we describe them here as N. papaceki sp. nov. Nerthra lurida Todd, 1959, syn. nov., is synonymized with Nerthra occidua Todd, 1959 (both from Indonesia: Sulawesi). In addition, we provide new distributional records of Nerthra americana (Montandon, 1905) (Brazil: Paraná), Nerthra buenoi Todd, 1955 (Brazil: Pará), and Nerthra raptoria (Fabricius, 1803) (Suriname) and provide their differential diagnoses and illustrations.

The InBIO Barcoding Initiative Database: DNA barcodes of Iberian Bees.

Bees are important actors in terrestrial ecosystems and are recognised for their prominent role as pollinators. In the Iberian Peninsula, approximately 1,100 bee species are known, with nearly 100 of these species being endemic to the Peninsula. A reference collection of DNA barcodes, based on morphologically identified bee specimens, representing 514 Iberian species, was constructed. The "InBIO Barcoding Initiative Database: DNA Barcodes of Iberian bees" dataset contains records of 1,059 sequenced specimens. The species of this dataset correspond to about 47% of Iberian bee species diversity and 21% of endemic species diversity. For peninsular Portugal only, the corresponding coverage is 71% and 50%. Specimens were collected between 2014 and 2022 and are deposited in the research collection of Thomas Wood (Naturalis Biodiversity Center, The Netherlands), in the FLOWer Lab collection at the University of Coimbra (Portugal), in the Andreia Penado collection at the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto (MHNC-UP) (Portugal) and in the InBIO Barcoding Initiative (IBI) reference collection (Vairão, Portugal). Of the 514 species sequenced, 75 species from five different families are new additions to the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD) and 112 new BINs were added. Whilst the majority of species were assigned to a single BIN (94.9%), 27 nominal species were assigned to multiple BINs. Although the placement into multiple BINs may simply reflect genetic diversity and variation, it likely also represents currently unrecognised species-level diversity across diverse taxa, such as Amegillaalbigena Lepeletier, 1841, Andrenarussula Lepeletier, 1841, Lasioglossumleucozonium (Schrank, 1781), Nomadafemoralis Morawitz, 1869 and Sphecodesalternatus Smith, 1853. Further species pairs of Colletes, Hylaeus and Nomada were placed into the same BINs, emphasising the need for integrative taxonomy within Iberia and across the Mediterranean Basin more broadly. These data substantially contribute to our understanding of bee genetic diversity and DNA barcodes in Iberia and provide an important baseline for ongoing taxonomic revisions in the West Palaearctic biogeographical region.

Establishment of the Common House Gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus (Duméril & Bibron), on Saba, Dutch Caribbean

The Common House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is recently being reported from multiple islands across the Lesser Antilles: Antigua, Dominica, St. Barthélemy, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and St. Martin (Brisbane et al. 2021, Dewynter et al. 2022, Griffing et al. 2022, Thorpe 2022, Questel et al. 2023, Thibaudier et al. 2023, Lindsay et al. 2023). Here, we report on the establishment of the species on Saba, Dutch Caribbean. On 27 November 2023, between 19.30–20.30 h, we surveyed buildings, walls, rock crevices and piles of wood, brick, concrete, and metal, including building supplies, on the Fort-Bay Road, adjacent to the Fort Bay harbor on Saba (17.61615, -63.25039). We found H. frenatus at eight locations along a 520-meter stretch of road, either on walls, next to the road between rocks, or between aforementioned materials. At each location one animal was captured, totaling four adults and four juveniles. The lamellae on the 4th and 5th digit were used to confirm species identity (Krysko and Daniels 2005). We collected one adult (Figure 1) that has been provided to Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, for deposition in their collections. We note that Hemidactylus mabouia was also found at three sites within the 520-meter stretch, but never closer than ~30 meters to Hemidactylus frenatus, which is a known competitor of other gecko species (Petren & Case 1996).

Preliminary study of marine sponges (Porifera) in the littoral of Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia.

Previous ecological studies show higher sponge diversity in the Spermonde Archipelago, SW Sulawesi, Indonesia, compared to the World Porifera Database. This study aims to provide an updated checklist of sponges of the Spermonde Archipelago, focusing particularly on the littoral area. Systematic sampling was executed through several observations, with roving techniques, e.g., snorkeling and SCUBA diving. In situ photographs of living sponges were taken using an underwater digital camera. Some specimens were collected and stored at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden. Fragments of samples were analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy. A total of 27 sponges (Calcarea and Demospongiae) were catalogued from the littoral area of the Spermonde Archipelago. Some of these are new records for the Sulawesi Sea/Makassar Strait marine ecoregion, including four potentially novel taxa. Preliminary morphological descriptions of all examined samples are presented. This study highlights the sponge assemblage flourishing in a shallow area characterized by a paucity of live corals and a predominant environment by macroalgae, rocks, and rubble.

What does the „true” Boerhaave herbarium tell us about the practice of collecting plant specimens in the botanical garden Leiden?

The Dutch physician Herman Boerhaave (1668–1738) was famous for his clinical teaching, but his botanical research was also renowned. Boerhaave (Fig.1) inspired his pupils to set up botanical gardens and devise their own classification systems. His research resulted in the publication of two editions of the garden catalogue of the Leiden Hortus Botanicus, of which the latter (Boerhaave 1720), was deemed important enough to be used extensively as reference by Linnaeus (Linnaeus 1737). Devising a classification system was a major enterprise and must have required a substantial herbarium. Two herbaria were attributed to Boerhaave, but it appears unlikely – even though they have not yet been researched – that they were actually composed by him. From the collection of Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, we selected 100 specimens that were listed as collected by Boerhaave and verified 88 specimens as having been collected by Boerhaave. However, this small number raises the following questions: What happened to the rest of the herbarium that Boerhaave created? And how can we recognise a Boerhaave specimen?

The marine palaemonid shrimps (Crustacea, Deapoda, Caridea) of the Dutch Caribbean.

Species of the decapod family Palaemonidae are common components of tropical coastal waters and coral reefs. The majority of these species are symbionts of various invertebrate phyla. Despite a long history of research on their species diversity in the Dutch Caribbean, recent field expeditions have yielded much new information. Combined with examinations of specimens housed in Naturalis Biodiversity Center and information from literature, a comprehensive list of Dutch Carribean palaemonids is provided. Newly collected material was primarily identified via morphological analyses. Additional molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial COI and 16S and nuclear Histone 3 (H3) genes were conducted in search of cryptic species on the one hand and to check conspecifity in species that were found on multiple host species on the other hand. In total, 46 species are here listed for the Dutch Caribbean of which 24 are here recorded for the first time for one of the islands. One species new to science was discovered and is herein described. Sixty new host associations are recorded. In light of biodiversity loss and increasing anthropogenic pressure on declining coral reefs, documenting the diversity of palaemonids and other coral reef species to provide baseline data takes on a new urgency.

An electron microscope study and re-description of the type specimens of Synedra subula and its transfer to Ctenophora (Bacillariophyta)

Synedra subula Sande Lac. & Suringar is rarely encountered today. Although a reasonable description was provided, the species has never been illustrated. Having discovered the type specimens in the diatom collection of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden (the Netherlands), this short account presents details of some specimens using only scanning electron microscopy as no light microscope slides exist or have been prepared.

Dyscrituluseuropaeus sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae): description of a new aphid parasitoid species with an identification key for species of the genus.

The braconid genus Dyscritulus Hincks is a small member of the subfamily Aphidiinae, distributed in Europe and Central Asia. All its species are highly specialized parasitoids of aphids of the genera Drepanosiphum Koch and, probably, Periphyllus van der Hoeven which are mostly associated with maple and sycamore trees (genus Acer). Upon examination of specimens from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, we unexpectedly noted unusual variability in morphological characters compared to other known Dyscritulus species. Further inspection of other material previously identified as Dyscritulusplaniceps Marshall, 1896 revealed additional specimens with the same morphological variability. Here we describe a new species of the genus, Dyscrituluseuropaeussp. nov., associated with Drepanosiphum aphids on Acer.

Type specimens and type localities of birds (Aves) collected by Gustav Adolf Fischer (1848–1886) in East Africa

Gustav Adolf Fischer (1848–1886) was an important German naturalist and ornithological collector in Africa. The extensive ornithological collections from his several expeditions were sent to at least two different museums (Zoological Museum Berlin and Zoological Museum Hamburg), and to a smaller extent, some private sales are assumed. Together with Anton Reichenow, Fischer described many species new to science, so the many types in the collections make them especially important. We located 616 bird specimens in the collections of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and the Museum der Natur Hamburg along with a few further specimens in the collections of the Museum Heineanum Halberstadt, the Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden, The Natural History Museum-UK (Tring), the American Museum of Natural History, New York and the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. Among these, type specimens for 133 species and subspecies of birds were traced. For all of them, an update of the collecting localities with particular emphasis on some previously unknown locations is provided. A taxonomic update of the described species is given and a designation of lectotypes for the following four taxa was necessary: Francolinus Altumi G.A. Fischer & Reichenow, 1884, Accipiter minullus tropicalis Reichenow, 1898, Hypochera ultramarina var. orientalis Reichenow, 1894 and Spinus citrinelloides frontalis Reichenow, 1904b.

Molecular phylogenetics facilitates the first historical biogeographic analysis of the hammerhead worms (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Bipaliinae), with the description of twelve new species and two new genera.

The hammerhead worms constitute a land planarian subfamily (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Bipaliinae) that is popular among natural historians as well as citizen scientists due to their characteristic semi-lunar-shaped head, the striking colours of many species, and the worldwide presence of introduced species, which has raised much concern about their putative impact on the receiving ecosystems. Despite such current awareness, the majority of Bipaliinae species was described before the second half of the 20th century. Over the past few decades, description of new species has been rather scarce. In the present paper, we describe twelve new species and two new genera from Madagascar, Borneo, and Japan, mainly using specimens that form part of the collections of Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden. Species identification has been based on morphology, inner anatomy, and, when available, molecular information. Our molecular phylogenetic tree suggests that either Malagasy or Bornean representatives form the sister-group to the rest of Bipaliinae. The phylogeny suggests also that the Bipaliinae comprises several new and, as yet, undescribed genera. Although the geographical origin of the subfamily is uncertain and may involve either Madagascar or the Bornean region, a molecular time-calibration of the phylogenetic tree indicated that the origin of the Bipaliinae may date back to about 253 Mya, placing its origin near the Permian-Triassic transition and, thus, on Pangea.

Enclosing the Open Fields

Abstract Early modern natural history was both characterized by naturalists collecting jointly on excursions and by the employment of paper technologies in the exchange of information and objects. Evaluating a sample of Matthias Ernst Boretius’s correspondence with Johann Philipp Breyne (Gotha research library) as well as Jacob Breyne’s 1659 herbarium as a gift to Hieronymus van Beverningh (Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden), this paper argues that naturalists made creative use of those technologies as substitutes for joint outings. It analyzes the specific characteristics of the letter and the herbarium as instruments for both distance interaction and self-presentation, considering the relationship between sender and addressee, and the aims the authors pursued with their respective media. As the herbarium has not been fully considered before this background yet, the paper contributes to its understanding as a means of naturalist communication.

Preface

The 15th International Symposium on Materials in the Space Environment (ISMSE) and 13th International Conference on Protection of Materials and Structures from the Space Environment (ICPMSE) took place 18-23 September 2022 in a special venue, the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the beautiful city of Leiden (the Netherlands). This joint conference was attended by about 210 participants from 25 different countries worldwide.We are now happy to present to you the final version of the conference proceedings. This unique collection includes 42 original scientific papers in a variety of fields, including:• Contamination modelling, applications and monitoring,• Low / Very low Earth orbit (LEO/VLEO),• Lunar environment and dust,• Clean Space and sustainability,• Flight experiments,• Radiation and synergistic effects,• Innovative materials and processes,• Ground facilities and testing,• Long-term storage.The papers reflect well the topics discussed during the conference.To maintain the high quality of the papers, we used a single-blind peer-review process, established within the framework of the Morresier platform provided by IOP. Moreover, all papers are now assigned DOIs and published open access online by IOP.The papers resulted from at least 4 years of work since the last ISMSE conference. Some authors are contributing to several papers as they actively work in several research subgroups and supervise multiple student projects. In each case all authors have contributed to all mandatory aspects: substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; and drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and final approval of the version to be published; agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.We hope you find the proceedings informative and we look forward to more exciting high-quality research publications in the future as part of the forthcoming ISMSE-16/ICPMSE-14 event.ISMSE Proceedings Editorial Board:Malgorzata Holynska (Chair, ESA/ESTEC)Adrian Tighe (ESA/ESTEC)Elisabeth Laurent (CNES)Jacob Kleiman (ITL INC)Sophie Duzellier (ONERA)Timothy Minton (University of Colorado Boulder)

Calotes megapogon (Squamata, Agamidae, Draconinae): nomenclatural and taxonomic ramifications of the naming of an undescribed species

During a field expedition to New Guinea in 1828, Salomon Müller discovered a new agamid lizard that was described in his notebook and accompanied by an illustration. He named the species Calotes megapogon, but a formal description was never published. Duméril & Bibron (1837) listed the name as a synonym of Lophyrus dilophus (comb. nov. pro Tiaris dilophus Duméril & Bibron, 1836), and later Gray (1845) treated Tiaris megapogon as a valid species. Through Gray’s action, the name became nomenclaturally available according to Article 11.6.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. We rediscovered the type specimens of Calotes megapogon in the collection of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center and studied the unpublished notes from Müller as well as the illustration. By comparison with morphologically similar species, we conclude that Calotes megapogon Duméril & Bibron, 1837 constitutes a senior subjective synonym of both Hypsilurus auritus (Meyer, 1874) and Hypsilurus spinosus (Duméril & Bibron, 1851), and that the name Hypsilurus megapogon (Duméril & Bibron, 1837) needs to be applied to this biological species.

Digitizing the Culicidae collection of Naturalis Biodiversity Center, with a special focus on the former Bonne-Wepster subcollection.

Natural history collections contain a wealth of information on species diversity, distribution and ecology. However, due to historical and practical constraints, this valuable information is not always available to researchers. Our project aimed at unlocking data handwritten in notebooks owned by Johanna Bonne-Wepster, a Culicidae researcher. These handwritten notes refer to specimens labeled with a number only. The notebooks were scanned and entered into a Google spreadsheet. The specimens were provided with a unique identifier, labeled with the information from the notebooks and the data exported to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. In addition, the type specimens were photographed. Besides Johanna Bonne-Wepster's collection, mosquitoes from the former Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijk Historie collection and the former Zoölogisch Museum Amsterdam Nederland collection were digitized. All specimens are now housed at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center museum in Leiden. This paper describes the efforts to mobilize this data and the problems we encountered.

Type catalogue of Oedipodinae (Orthoptera: Acrididae) present in Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden (Netherlands).

A type catalogue of Oedipodinae in the collection of Naturalis Biodiversity Center is presented altogether 82 type specimens including 13 primary types and 5 junior synonyms: holotypes (4 species), neotype (1 species), lectotypes (2 species, 1 subspecies), and syntypes (5 species). Furthermore 50 additional secondary type specimens were recorded. Here, we present the full type material catalogue including a locality map of all species and pictures of the 15 primary type species.

Digitizing the Culicidae collection of Naturalis Biodiversity Center, with a special focus on the former Bonne-Wepster subcollection

Digitizing the Culicidae collection of Naturalis Biodiversity Center, with a special focus on the former Bonne-Wepster subcollection