Study on the preservation of type specimens in paleontology

Research Project

Project/Area Number	61304011
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Co-operative Research (A)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Stratigraphy/Paleontology
Research Institution	University of Tokyo
Principal Investigator	HAYAMI Itaru University of Tokyo Professor, 理学部, 教授 (80037184)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	KASE Tomoki National Science Museum Curator, 地学研究部, 研究官 (20124183) OJI Tatsuo University of Tokyo Assistant, 理学部, 助手 (50160487) ABE Katsumi University of Tokyo Assistant, 理学部, 助手 (80151091) TANABE Kazushige University of Tokyo Associate Professor, 理学部, 助教授 (20108640) MORI Kei Tohoku University Professor, 理学部, 教授 (00004466) 山口寿之千葉大学, 理学部, 助教授 (10101106) 市川健雄東京大学, 理学部, 助手
Project Period (FY)	1986 – 1988
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1988)
Budget Amount *help	¥8,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,500,000) Fiscal Year 1988: ¥2,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000) Fiscal Year 1987: ¥3,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000) Fiscal Year 1986: ¥3,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000)
Keywords	Ancient organisms / Type specimens / Illustrated specimens / Preservation / Invertebrates / Data base / 標本カタログ / 検索 / 記載標本 / 後生無脊椎動物 / 大型無脊椎動物化石 / データバンク / カタログ / パーソナルコンピューター / 資料館
Research Abstract	In accordance with the research plan determined in 1986, the enormous collections of described paleontologic specimens in various institutions of Japan were examined by cooprative members and their cooperators as follows: 1. The subject of research was limited to fossil and recent (treated by paleontologists) type and illustrated specimens of invertebrates (except Protozoa). Their preservation status was clarified in 43 institutions (mostly universities and museums). 2. Information about the relevant specimens treated in about 1,600 descriptive papers was compiled at the office of the team leader, and the author, title, periodical, major taxon, geologic age, preservation state and depository of specimens appeared in each paper were inputted using a computer retrieval system. As the result, the completed data base make it very easy to get information about type and illustrated specimens for various paleontologic purposes. 3. Although catalogueing and data base for respective specimens are still now in progress in many institutions, the curatorial works have been greatly advenced during the period of this study. This cooperative study was also very effective in bringing home to so many prople the importance of the preservation of type specimens and also the practical methods of curation for the further development of paleontology and related sciences.