Specimen collection is essential for modern science

• Published in: PLoS biology 2023-11, Vol.21 (11), p.e3002318-e3002318
• Main Authors: Nachman, Michael W, Beckman, Elizabeth J, Bowie, Rauri CK, Cicero, Carla, Conroy, Chris J, Dudley, Robert, Hayes, Tyrone B, Koo, Michelle S, Lacey, Eileen A, Martin, Christopher H, McGuire, Jimmy A, Spencer, Carol L, Tarvin, Rebecca D, Wake, Marvalee H, Wang, Ian J, Achmadi, Anang, Álvarez-Castañeda, Sergio Ticul, Arroyave, Jairo, Austin, Christopher C, Barker, F Keith, Barrowclough, George F, Bates, John, Bauer, Aaron M, Bell, Kayce C, Bell, Rayna C, Bronson, Allison W, Brown, Rafe M, Burbrink, Frank T, Burns, Kevin J, Cadena, Carlos Daniel, Castoe, Todd A, Chakrabarty, Prosanta, Colella, Jocelyn P, Cook, Joseph A, Cracraft, Joel L, Davis, Drew R, D'Elía, Guillermo, Dumbacher, John P, Dunnum, Jonathan L, Edwards, Scott V, Esselstyn, Jacob A, Faivovich, Julián, Fjeldså, Jon, Flores-Villela, Oscar A, Fuchs, Jérôme, Fujita, Matthew K, Good, Jeffrey M, Greenbaum, Eli, Greene, Harry W, Hamidy, Amir, Hanken, James, Haryoko, Tri, Hawkins, Melissa TR, Heaney, Lawrence R, Hornsby, Angela D, Hosner, Peter A, Jiménez, Rosa Alicia, Joseph, Leo, Kirchman, Jeremy J, LaDuc, Travis J, Leaché, Adam D, Lessa, Enrique P, López-Fernández, Hernán, Mason, Nicholas A, McCormack, John E, Moyle, Robert G, Ojeda, Ricardo A, Kin Onn, Chan, Parra-Olea, Gabriela, Patterson, Bruce D, Pauly, Gregory B, Pavan, Silvia E, Peterson, A Townsend, Poe, Steven, Rabosky, Daniel L, Raxworthy, Christopher J, Reddy, Sushma, Rico-Guevara, Alejandro, Riyanto, Awal, Rocha, Luiz A, Ron, Santiago R, Rovito, Sean M, Rowe, Kevin C, Rowley, Jodi, Ruane, Sara, Salazar-Valenzuela, David, Shultz, Allison J, Sidlauskas, Brian, Sikes, Derek S, Simmons, Nancy B, Stiassny, Melanie L. J, Streicher, Jeffrey W, Tavera, Jose, Teta, Pablo, Thompson, Cody W, Timm, Robert M, Torres-Carvajal, Omar, Voelker, Gary, Wommack, Elizabeth A, Zink, Robert M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal species; Animals; Anthropocene; Arthropods; Bioaccumulation; Biodiversity; Biological specimens; Collections and collecting; Conservation; Endoparasites; Environmental degradation; Environmental studies; Epigenetics; Gene expression; Genetic testing; Identification and classification; Infectious diseases; Insects; Mercury; Metadata; Microplastics; Museums; Nature conservation; New species; Organisms; Pandemics; Pathogens; Phenotypic variations; Scientists; Taxonomy; Vouchers; Wildlife conservation
• ISSN: 1545-7885; 1544-9173; 1545-7885
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002318

A few examples of research enabled by whole-organism specimens and their associated tissues and data illustrate the value of museum collections [2–13]. * Discovery and description of new species * The origins and spread of infectious diseases * Studies of environmental degradation such as the accumulation of microplastics and mercury in fish or DDT in eggshells * Most research on endoparasites and small invertebrates (which constitute the majority of all animals) * Research on morphology and physiology of whole organisms * Studies of gene expression and epigenetic modifications in wild animals, including gene regulatory changes associated with adaptation to different environments * Research that links genomic variation to phenotypic differences * Studies of the biotic consequences of global change in the Anthropocene * A global scientific resource for future studies and future technologies Documenting biodiversity Most of the Earth’s biodiversity remains to be characterized, with an estimated 86% of species yet to be described [14]. [...]verification of these species requires intensive anatomical analyses that are impossible without whole-organism voucher specimens. [...]most animal species are small arthropods such as insects and mites, the majority of which cannot be found using nonlethal means and cannot be identified without microscopic examination [5]. [...]understanding evolutionary processes often involves the study of large series of voucher specimens that document geographic, temporal, age, or sexual variation in specific traits. Conservation of species The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assesses species once they are described. [...]there is typically no mechanism to initiate conservation efforts prior to species descriptions.