Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
Marine Biological Collection
turtle

High density shelving showing part of collection MLML has assembled over the past 30 years a functional and diverse Marine Biology Collection (MBC) to meet the needs of MLML research and educational activities.  The focus is on four broad taxonomic groupings: seaweeds; marine invertebrates; marine fishes including condrichthyans; and marine mammals, birds, and turtles. Within most of the taxonomic groupings the MBC is divided into teaching and research colelctions with each having different goals; the teaching collections are largely designed to provide students with the greatest exposure possible to the diversity of organismal form and function, while most of the research collections gain their strength by uniquely focusing on geographic regions. Three specialized collections are also contained within the MBC: the Global Kelp Archive, the Pacific Shark Research Center's Shark Taxonomy Collection, and the Prey Otoliths Observed in Predators Collection. The MBC serves to facilitate research activities at MLML, Monterey Bay partner institutions, and private and public institutions and universities worldwide.

We are in the process of digitizing our entire collection to make it searchable on-line.  Through our portal you will be able to request specimens on loan, or to determine if they are available to be loaned.  In the meantime, to request a museum specimen you should contact either a member of the Museum Committee or the MLML Faculty leading research on each taxonomic group.  

Museum Committee
 Dr. David Ebert, Dr. Lara Ferry-Graham, Dr. Michael Graham, Dr. Jim Harvey
     Marine Algae
 Dr. Michael Graham
     Marine Fishes
 Dr. Gregor Cailliet  
     Condrichthyans
 Dr. David Ebert
     Marine Invertebrates
 Dr. Jonathan Geller
     Marine Mammals, Birds, and Turtles
 Dr. Jim Harvey

Museum Policies:
Museum workspace The following MBC protocols for specimen acquisition, accession, loan, and usage have been developed according to the standards of the California Academy of Sciences.

Specimen acquisition – The primary goal of new specimen acquisition will be to actively strengthen current areas of specialization within the MBC, while opportunistically accepting specimens that enhance the taxonomic breadth of the research and teaching collections.

Specimen accession – The official MBC policy for specimen acquisition is that all specimens have been collected ethically, with proper permits, and without undue habitat destruction or population decimation. Once accessioned, specimens shall receive a MBC number, be photographed, and entered into the electronic database with record of all pertinent permits, capture method, date and locality, endangered/threatened species status and descriptive statistics. At this stage, it will be determined whether complimentary data exists (e.g. DNA sequences, preserved soft tissues, ecological data) and data will be cross-referenced.

Specimen loaning and usage – MBC specimens are typically loaned to individuals affiliated with other institutions; specimens are loaned to unaffiliated individuals only in exceptional cases. Upon completion of this project, all MBC users (both on- and off-site) must be registered electronically in an MBC user database. Loans must be requested in writing (a WWW request procedure will be developed during the project) and will be approved if the specimens are not: 1) currently being used by MLML researchers; 2) already on loan outside of MLML; or 3) extremely fragile or rare (typically to be studied on MLML premises only). Standard loan duration is 1 year, although shorter loan durations may be requested. MLML typically sends type specimens to California Academy of Sciences, so special policies for loaning of type specimens are not necessary. Special permission is required if the specimens are to be dissected, cleared and stained, or otherwise used destructively. Loaned specimens are to be returned in a manner that is equal to or exceeds the protection provided by MLML on initial shipping and MLML reserves the right to request that the borrower bear all costs of shipping and receiving specimens. Loss or damage to specimens should be reported in writing and repair or replacement shall be at MLML's discretion with costs potentially borne by the borrower. Finally, the MLML MBC should be recognized when MBC specimens are used for display, publication, or equivalent forms of information transfer and MLML should be provided with copies of publications or press releases containing information about loaned specimens.
MLML link
This page created and maintained by Lara Ferry-Graham
last update 25 November, 2003