The bulk of the museum's specimens are included in the Conner research collection and are not mounted for display. This collection of over 65,000 specimens documents the occurrence of both common and rare species in particular places at specific times and thus helps paint a picture of the distribution of animals as they change through time. Because mammals and birds grow and molt with the season, the collection provides examples of individuals of a given species as they appear at different times of the year and at different ages. This is of considerable importance whether the identification of an animal is important for population management or species protection.
Scientists can now extract DNA from hair and feathers for
study, and the Conner collection provides a reservoir of
material upon which molecular studies of animal diversity
in the Pacific Northwest can be based. Researchers also
use the collection for a wide variety of problems in
systematics, ecology, conservation, and physical
anthropology.
Most of the specimens housed in the scientific collection
originate from Washington state and other areas of the
Pacific Northwest such as Oregon, Idaho and Montana, but
we also have representations from other parts of the
United States and the world, including California,
Alaska, Nebraska, Nevada, Central America, Mexico, and
Africa.
The collection is available to professional scientists
and qualified university students. It is not open for
public display. For inquiry on use or loans please
contact our curator, Dr. Kelly Cassidy, by e-mail at
connermuseum@wsu.edu.
Mammals
Skeletons, such as this raccoon skeleton, are an important part of a research collection. |
We currently have over 39,000 mammal specimens in the research collection with nearly 30,000 of these prepared as study skins with accompanying skulls. These are supplemented by 7,700 skeletons, 500 bacula and 600 fluid-preserved specimens.
Birds
Our collection of birds consists, in part, of 13,000
study skins, more than 900 skeletons, 200 sets
of eggs and a few nests. Several years ago we began
preparing an open wing from each individual. Our wing
collection now numbers over seven hundred. 1,850
fluid-preserved specimens round out our bird
holdings.
The late George Hudson, curator of the Conner collection
from 1938 to 1972, developed this fluid collection from
his studies of bird musculature. Our fluid collection is
one of the largest of its kind in North America.
Study skins always have a label with information about when and where the bird was collected or found. |
Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish
The number of reptile, amphibian and fish specimens has
grown recently, due to the acquisition of the Walla Walla
College and John H. Larsen collections. Fluid-preserved
reptiles and amphibians collectively now number about
6,600 specimens, and the fish over 5,680. The Walla Walla
specimens are currently being cataloged into the main
collection.
As with the birds and mammals, most of these specimens
originate from the Pacific Northwest.
Computerization
Updated: 3-March-2008
We are in the process of computerizing specimen records and making records available on-line.
Bird record computerization
All bird records, excepting the pickled birds and Dr. Richard Johnson’s research collection, are now computerized. For the moment, they are in a large Excel file. We are working to get the bird records on-line, but do not know when they will be available. In the meantime, if you need the records, send an email request to connermuseum@wsu.edu and we will mail a CD with the records. (There will be no charge.) You will receive the entire file, which is about 35 Mbytes. You will probably need a fairly new computer (<5 years) to read the file.
Non-bird record computerization
About 10% of the mammal records have been input. They are the next priority, but they will probably not be available until 2009. Entry of herp and fish records will probably not start until late 2008 or 2009.
Using the Research Collection
Qualified researchers and graduate students may use the collection pending approval from the curator. For those wishing to visit the collection, contact us via e-mail, phone or letter to make arrangements.
Loan Policy
We loan specimens for legitimate research purposes. The museum will ship some specimens through the mail; some fragile or rare specimens must be checked out in person. To request a loan contact us by e-mail or writing for approval.
Current Museum Projects
Our two highest priorities now are to computerize the collection and build up our frozen tissue collection. Specimen preparation is an ongoing project. We continue to work away at the mountain of material that comes our way through field projects and salvaging.
WSU
Student Work
and Project Opportunities - Special
Project Credit
Washington State University students may earn credit and learn methodology of museum curation in Biology 499 (special projects). Most of the time this involves preparatory work, but occasionally other projects present themselves in the form of cataloging, sorting and organizing new specimens, identification of new specimens, or other special projects. Contact Dr. Kelly Cassidy at connermuseum@.wsu.edu or call the museum at (509) 335-3515.
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