For the past two years, Invertebrate Zoology (IZ) research zoologist Robert (Bob) Hershler and a team of volunteers have been hard at work exercising their detective skills, as they uncover and photograph "hidden types" in the general mollusk collection. Leading the volunteer team are Brian Murphy and Anna Rockett, who work closely with student interns Alex Lincoln and Molly Pfeffer (those of you around IZ might also remember Jennifer Torres, a previous student intern on this team). The volunteers and interns primarily focus on the preparation of publication-quality photographs of primary type specimens. These efforts dovetail with the broader United States National Museum (USNM) mollusk type imaging project that has been ongoing for some years.
In this piece, Bob gives an overview of two projects and a behind-the-scenes perspective on the team's accomplishments so far. We also meet current student interns Alex and Molly, who talk a bit about why they enjoy their positions in IZ and their plans for the future.
The Torre and Bartsch project
The first project is focused on the more than 500 new species-group taxa of Cuban urocoptid land snails that were described by former IZ curator Paul Bartsch and Cuban naturalist Carlos de la Torre in a monumental monograph (completed in 1943) whose complex publication history long obscured the recognition of these validly described taxa.
The imaging of all of the USNM types of these taxa, and the construction of publication-quality plates containing these photos (following detailed protocols developed by Brian Murphy), was finally completed during the past week. These plates will be incorporated into the EMu records for these taxa.
Bob estimates that the photography portion of this project totaled nearly 1,500 hours of volunteer time (in addition to the many, many hours it took him and other staff to sort through the collections and identify the type status of specimens!). Of course, with volunteers and interns supporting the photography work, these hours were "free." That said, the experience afforded the student interns is invaluable: IZ may receive services at no monetary cost, but these students receive extensive professional development and hands-on training.
The Heude project
The second project is focused on the more than 350 new species of nonmarine mollusks from China that Pierre Marie Heude described between 1882 and 1902. The USNM material of these species had not been previously treated as primary types, but clearly merits this distinction based on the articles of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.
This imaging project started about a month ago and is now going full bore, with about 20% of these types imaged. Bob and his team anticipate completing this project prior to the end of the year.
The importance of protocol in extensive imaging projects
Volunteer Brian Murphy has led the team of volunteers and student interns that have tackled the photography of the Torre and Bartsch and Heude type collections, lending his considerable skills as a project manager. Brian prepared detailed, illustrated protocols for specimen photography and plate construction that have facilitated a consistent and smooth work flow.
In particular, such protocols have been critical for ensuring consistency in imaging work across volunteers and interns. For example, 514 plates were produced for the Torre and Bartsch project by five different individuals. While Alex and Molly noted that the specificity of the protocols made some work challenging, such as imaging of the smallest mollusks (only a few mm!) at particular orientations, nonetheless they both also acknowledged how important the guidelines were in ensuring the ultimate quality of their work.
Meet Alex and Molly
Molly is a rising junior at American University, studying environmental studies. She knew in high school that she wanted to pursue a career in the biological sciences and, hence, counts herself fortunate for the year that she's spent volunteering in IZ under Bob Hershler's oversight. "Having very recently taken my final photos for the Torre and Bartsch collection project, it is strange to think about how time flies. I am so excited that I was able to be a part of the project from start to finish. It is a huge accomplishment," says Molly.
Although she isn't entirely sure what's next, Molly seems unfazed as she relates that, "just a year ago, I had never imagined I would be interning at the Smithsonian...I know this experience will help me in whatever I do next. Not only have I learned so much about museum collections, invertebrate zoology, and the Smithsonian Institution, but also, I have learned an unbelievable amount of Photoshop and photography."
As a recent graduate from Pomona College with a degree in biology, Alex is still relatively new to the field of invertebrate zoology, much less the particulars of mollusks. Nonetheless, Alex holds a similar perspective to Molly's. "I have enjoyed being able to combine my interests in photography and science," says Alex. "Imaging is so useful in the scientific world. It has also been interesting to work with a wide variety of specimens...The size of the projects alone is a challenge to all involved."
by Bob Hershler and Liz Boatman
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