Type collection
Type specimen of Fardoulis' Blossum-bat, Melonycteris fardoulisi described in 1993 by Tim Flannery.
Label showing key information such as the registration number, location and date the specimen was collected. More detailed information about each specimen is stored on a computer database.
Among the most scientifically valuable specimens in a collection are those known as 'type specimens'. These are the specimens on which the original published description of a species is based. They serve as a link between the original description of the species and a specimen (or series of specimens) lodged in a museum. Types are not necessarily 'typical' of a species although they must fall within the accepted range of variation for the species. If the species that the type represents is later incorporated into a new or existing species the type specimen still remains a type for the particular taxa it was originally described.
The Australian Museum Mammal collection contains over 480 type specimens of more than 170 different taxa. Most types in the collection are from Australia -195 specimens, although there are also many from other parts of the Pacific region including 183 from Papua New Guinea, 66 from the Solomon Islands and 23 from Indonesia. Like specimens of extinct species, the types are stored separate from the main collection so they can be readily accessed for research and curation purposes.
A number of type specimens are recognised and these include:
- Holotypes - the single specimen used by an author in their original description of that species or subspecies. It may be either the only specimen found or one of several found but the only one designated as the type.
- Paratypes - each specimen of a 'type series' excluding the holotype. These are specimens examined by the person making the original description and regarded as belonging to the new taxa.
- Syntypes - each specimen of a type series from which neither a holotype nor lectotype has been nominated.
- Lectotypes - one of the syntypes selected as the single name bearing type specimen subsequent to the original description of the species or subspecies (when no type was selected by the author).
- Neotypes - a single specimen selected and designated in the literature, to serve as the name bearing type of a new species or subspecies for which no type specimens are believed to exist (as in the case where original material has been lost or destroyed or no types previously designated).
The Australian Museum's mammal type database includes a range of information; the family name, original name (e.g. the particular taxon that it was described to represent), the senior synonym (its current scientific classification), common name, type status (whether holotype, paratype etc.), author (person or persons who described the taxa), year (date of publication of the original description), references (original description), form (whether skin, skull etc.), sex, country, state, locality and date (date collected).
All enquiries regarding any entry and general comments should be addressed to the Collection Manager, Sandy Ingleby
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Copyright © Australian Museum, 2003
