Pacific Rim Biodiversity Catalog on MOP Gopher

[Robert Guralnick]

                            INTRODUCING:
                 The Pacific Rim Biodiversity Catalog

     The University of California Berkeley Museum of Paleontology, with
the support of the Pacific Rim Research Program, are in the process of
compiling a database on Pacific Rim biodiversity.  We have sought information
from nearly 200 natural history institutions throughout the world concerning
the taxonomic, geographic and temporal composition of their Pacific Rim
zoological and paleontological holdings.
     As of June 15, we had received over 40 responses to our survey.  As
completed survey forms arrive, we will periodically update the information
provided on the Museum of Paleontology Gopher (ucmp1.berkeley.edu or from the
Mother of All Gophers, North America/USA/California/University of California -
Museum of Paleontology.  The index was set up by WAIS Index and can be searched
using boolean parameters such as AND, OR, and NOT.  Partial searches can be
conducted as well by using '*'.  For example, a search of
"Echino* AND Triassic NOT Australia" would bring up all Pacific Rim collections
of Echinoderms from the Triassic period except those from Australia.

     The survey consists of 20 matrices, each corresponding to one of 20
regions comprising the Pacific Rim.
  1.  Mexico                          11. Indonesia
  2.  Central America                 12. Malaysia / Thailand
  3.  South America (North of Chile)  13. Vietnam
  4.  South America (Chile)           14. China
  5.  New Zealand                     15. Japan
  6.  East Australia                  16. Korea / Russia
  7.  North Australia                 17. Central Pacific Islands
  8.  West Australia                  18. United States (Alaska)
  9.  New Guinea                      19. Canada
  10. Philippines                     20. United States (Contiguous)

Respondents provided information on 16 taxonomic categories.
  1.  Porifera                        9.  Chondricthyes
  2.  Cnidaria                        10. Osteicthyes
  3.  Echinodermata                   11. Reptilia
  4.  Brachiopoda                     12. Amphibia
  5.  Annelida                        13. Aves
  6.  Arthropoda                      14. Mammalia
  7.  Mollusca                        15. Protista
  8.  Other Invertebrata              16. Plants / Algae

Collections material were also broken down into two groups, present or
paleontological.  For collections of organisms living in the present,
respondents indicated the habitat category of the specimens.
  1.  Terrestrial
  2.  Intertidal Marine
  3.  Subtidal Marine

Paleontological collections were categorized by geological time units.
  1.  Quaternary                      8.  Carboniferous
  2.  Neogene                         9.  Devonian
  3.  Paleogene                       10. Silurian
  4.  Cretaceous                      11. Ordovician
  5.  Jurassic                        12. Cambrian
  6.  Triassic                        13. Precambrian
  7.  Permian

In addition to the above information, we collected general information about
the responding institutions.
  1.  Name and Address of Museum
  2.  Name of Parent Institution
  3.  Name, Phone, Fax, and E-Mail of Contact at Museum

     The Pacifc Rim Biodiversity Catalog is somewhat broad in nature, but should
be of considerable use to interested scientists, conservationists and policy
planners.  Our aim is to increase the efficiency with which information on
Pacific Rim natural history is exchanged.  To help us achieve this important
goal, we would greatly appreciate being notified of additional Pacific Rim
natural history collections.  If you are with an institution that has Pacific
Rim holdings and would like to receive a survey form, please contact Allen G.
Collins at the address below.  The survey will be made available through
gopher in the near future.  Please direct comments and suggestions to Allen
G. Collins.
______________________________________________________________________
 Allen G. Collins  |     PacRim Coordinator     |  Berkeley, CA 94720
___________________|_allenc at ucmp1.berkeley.edu__|_____________________

Robert Guralnick
Systems Administrator
Museum of Paleontology
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720
robg at fossil.berkeley.edu
(510) 642-9696