The Collection of Birds from the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections will host an exhibit including original photography, specimens, data visualizations and more at the SEAD Gallery in downtown Bryan, read more here: https://brtc.tamu.edu/collections/ornithology/vitality/
In the News
New species of clingfish discovered!
Dr. Kevin Conway, Curator of Fishes at the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections, and Dr. Phil Hastings, Professor and Curator of Marine Vertebrates at SCRIPPS, describe a new species of clingfish from the Los Frailes canyon in the southwestern Gulf of California. This group of fishes is best known for occurring in rocky intertidal and shallow subtidal reef areas in the western Atlantic. The discovery of this new species the “Canyon Clingfish” is additionally noteworthy because the specimen was collected at a greater depth than most species of this group are known to occur. Read the full description here.
Collection of Birds at Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections adds a rare bird and reaches 24,000 specimens.
The Collection of Birds at the BRTC now contains over 24,000 specimens! Historically the collection has focused on specimens from the United States and Texas (63% of the collection) and Mexico (14%), but it also includes specimens from 64 additional countries. Over the past eight years, the collection has grown from ca. 14,500 specimens, and has added material not only from Texas, but from expeditions to Armenia, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Italy, and South Africa. In fact, 5% of the collection is now from South Africa. These international expeditions have been related to research being conducted by Dr. Gary Voelker (Professor and Faculty Curator of Birds), his graduate and undergraduate students, and BRTC staff. Because of these expeditions, the collection has not only grown in numbers, but in species diversity as well. This diversity is represented by 1,662 species, from 785 genera and 163 families. The majority of specimens are prepared as study skins; however, the collections include nearly 1,950 skeletons, 315 fluid preserved specimens, 434 egg sets and 3,201 open wings. The Collection also maintains a rapidly growing collection of tissues (over 8,200) and blood samples associated with voucher specimens.
Since the inception of the BRTC, research projects by faculty, students and staff at Texas A&M University have provided most of the material in this collection; however, the collection has also grown through acquisition of the ornithology collections of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Austin College, Southern Methodist University, Midwestern University and the University of North Texas. And, we have a network of people that salvage specimens for us. Our fantastic cadres of interns and volunteers have been instrumental in helping us deal with this influx of specimens, via preparing specimens and assisting in collection curation. As the only active ornithology collection in Texas, in terms of research activities, we anticipate continued growth in numbers and diversity that will not only benefit research, but the many Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences students taking courses that extensively utilize the collection.
Specimen number 24,000 is a federally endangered Whooping Crane. This specimen is one of two birds illegally shot in east Texas earlier this year. We’ve been working with USFWS Special Agents to ensure that these specimens and their data are made available to the scientific community thru accession into BRTC. This specimen represents only the 37th specimen of Whooping Crane from Texas, with a majority of the other specimens dating from the late 1800’s.
3 New Species of African Forest Robin
WFSC team discovers three new species of African forest robins in the genus Stiphrornis!
The paper describing these new species has been published online in Systematics and Biodiversity (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14772000.2016.1226978). The three species are named Stiphrornis inexpectatus, the Ghana Forest Robin; Stiphrornis dahomeyensis, the Dahomey Forest Robin, and Stiphrornis rudderi, Rudder’s Forest Robin. The latter, Rudder’s Forest Robin, is named in honor of James Earl Rudder, former president of Texas A&M University. The type specimens for dahomeyensis and rudderi (pictured below) are housed in the Collection of Birds at the BRTC. This discovery provides additional evidence that a substantial amount of cryptic diversity exists in Afrotropical forests, which are in need of further study.
Museums: The endangered dead : Nature News & Comment
BRTC specimens used in seahorse study
Recent publication from colleagues in Brazil identifies 3 species of seahorses in Brazil.
The BRTC contributed radiography of specimens to help with the morphological component of the study.
Come work with us!
Museum Collections Assistant Job Announcement
- Job Description:
The Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections is looking for a mature, responsible, and detail orientated undergraduate student, with a strong interest in ichthyology, to assist staff and faculty curators with a variety of curatorial tasks in the Collection of Fishes. - Primary responsibilities:
Include but not limited to: Preparing voucher specimens and associated tissues; electronically documenting and physically inventorying specimens; organizing tissue samples stored in ultra-cold freezers; assisting the curator of collections with special projects. - Qualifications: WFSC 311 and WFSC 302 or equivalent, proficiency with MS Excel, and personal transportation are required.
- Point of Contact:
Kevin W. Conway, kevin.conway@neo.tamu.edu; Heather Prestridge, brtc@tamu.edu - Position is temporary for 1 year and will start February 15th. Pay is $10 per hour, it is expected that the selected candidate be able to work 10 hours per week between the hours of 8-5 Monday through Friday at the BRTC facility, located at 3380 University Drive East.
Interested and qualified students should e-mail a letter of interest and resume to kevin.conway@tamu.edu and brtc@tamu.edu.
