[Taxacom] Thousands of holotype burn

[Stephen Thorpe]

Loss of holotypes isn't really any more tragic than loss of non-type specimens (i.e. both are equally tragic). Neotypes can be designated where necessary, so that isn't a big deal. Events such as this illustrate the importance of having good diagnostic digital photos of specimens (stored on multiple servers). Specimens cannot be duplicated, but digital images of specimens can be. Images might not give us all that we might want, but they give us a lot more than a pile of smoking charcoal. All specimens in all natural history collections will be reduced to dust some day, it is only a matter of time.

Stephen

--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 3/9/18, Ivie, Michael <mivie at montana.edu> wrote:

 Subject: [Taxacom] Thousands of holotype burn
 To: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu" <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 Received: Monday, 3 September, 2018, 3:34 PM
 
 This might well be the largest loss of
 primary types ever in a single event, if the reported total
 loss proves true.  Thousands of types in the
 Cerambycidae alone.
 Our hearts go out to our Brazilian
 colleagues.  Horrible event, please no negative
 comments while this tragedy is so fresh.
 
 Mike
 
 
 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-45392668?ns_sourceúcebook&ocid=socialflow_facebook&ns_campaign»cnews&ns_mchannel=social
 __________________________________________________
 Michael A. Ivie, Ph.D., F.R.E.S.
 
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