Museum of Southwestern Biology
Division of Arthropods

 Museum Facilities

Specimen Collections. The dry pinned and microscope slide insect specimens are stored in Cornell style insect cabinets in the climate controlled Collection Room (dry collection) of the Arthropod Museum. Other insects and arthropods that are stored in ethanol are housed in the liquid portion (wet collection) of the Arthropod Museum, located in the Arthropod Laboratory. As stated above, organization of the arthropod collection follows the taxonomic classification presented by the Nomina for insects, and Borror, Tripplehorn, and Johnson (1992) for other non-insect arthropods. Special voucher reference collections are maintained for UNM researchers for ongoing ecological research projects. Specimens within those special voucher collections are maintained by both Arthropod Museum staff, and outside researchers. Specimens may eventually become part of the MSB collection, or may be removed and housed in other museums once the ecological research has terminated. All special collection specimens incorporated into the Arthropod Museum collection, may be tracked with the specimen database. The acceptance of special voucher collections within the Arthropod Museum must be previously approved by the Curator. At that time, decisions will be made as to the care and ultimate deposition locations for each special collection. In general, all special voucher specimen collections will eventually be incorporated into the Arthropod Museum collection.

Work Space. Two working laboratories are available for arthropod research and educational activities. The Collection Work Room is the principal work space for activities involving the Arthropod Collection. The Collection Room is located within the Collection Work Room. The Collection Work Room provides table space, computers, microscopes, refrigerator and freezer space, and sinks. The Collection Room is considered a "clean" lab. The Collection Manager's office is also located within the Collection Work Room. The Arthropod Museum Library, and computer database are housed in the Collection Manager's office. The Arthropod Laboratory provides work space involving specimens preserved in liquids, use of toxic chemicals, and ecology field samples of arthropods in soil, plant foliage, or other materials. The wet arthropod collection is stored here, and work with those specimens stored in ethanol can be conducted on lab tables. Air hoods are available for work with toxic chemicals. The Arthropod Laboratory is considered a "dirty" lab.

Live arthropods may be kept in a laboratory at the UNM Biology Annex, room 111A. This live arthropod facility may be used to rear immature arthropods so that adults may be obtained for taxonomic studies. The live arthropod lab provides rearing cages, and incubation chambers.

  
Museum of Southwestern Biology
Division of Arthropods
Department of Biology
The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131