Digital Imaging of Amphibian and Reptile Specimens at the Idaho Museum of Natural History
Additional Funding Sources
Funding was provided by an ISU College of Science and Engineering internal grant, ISU Department of Biological Sciences Career Path Internships, and a 2020 AHRC44 Strategic Initiative Undergraduate Award from the ISU Office of Research.
Abstract
We are taking digital images of amphibian and reptile specimens from the Idaho Museum of Natural History (IMNH) to make them more accessible for research and biodiversity conservation.Museum specimens provide the best source of historical data for these species. At about 2,300 specimens, the IMNH herpetology collection is the largest collection of preserved Idaho amphibian and reptile specimens in the world. This collection includes about 850 specimens formerly housed by the University of Idaho. The taxonomic composition of the collection is: 54% amphibians, 46% reptiles, 10% salamanders, 44% anurans, 0.3% turtles, 25% lizards, and 21% snakes. The oldest specimens were collected in 1936. To take digital photographs of the specimens, we used an Ortery light box, a Nikon D800 camera, Camera Control Pro 2 software, and Nikkor 60 and 105 mm macro lenses. The dorsal and ventral surfaces of specimens were photographed dry on an 18% gray card with a ruler and the specimen tags visible. We have currently photographed 13% of the specimens. The raw image files will be converted to jpg files that will be and imported along with their metadata into EMu, the museum's collection management software. The files and metadata will then be exported to online databases such as iDigBio.
Digital Imaging of Amphibian and Reptile Specimens at the Idaho Museum of Natural History
We are taking digital images of amphibian and reptile specimens from the Idaho Museum of Natural History (IMNH) to make them more accessible for research and biodiversity conservation.Museum specimens provide the best source of historical data for these species. At about 2,300 specimens, the IMNH herpetology collection is the largest collection of preserved Idaho amphibian and reptile specimens in the world. This collection includes about 850 specimens formerly housed by the University of Idaho. The taxonomic composition of the collection is: 54% amphibians, 46% reptiles, 10% salamanders, 44% anurans, 0.3% turtles, 25% lizards, and 21% snakes. The oldest specimens were collected in 1936. To take digital photographs of the specimens, we used an Ortery light box, a Nikon D800 camera, Camera Control Pro 2 software, and Nikkor 60 and 105 mm macro lenses. The dorsal and ventral surfaces of specimens were photographed dry on an 18% gray card with a ruler and the specimen tags visible. We have currently photographed 13% of the specimens. The raw image files will be converted to jpg files that will be and imported along with their metadata into EMu, the museum's collection management software. The files and metadata will then be exported to online databases such as iDigBio.