The extended specimen

Abstract

The purpose of biological research collections is to preserve and make accessible specimens that capture the individual phenotype for research on the patterns of biodiversity across taxa, time, and space. In ornithology, the most common specimen type is the “study skin,” which primarily captures the outward appearance of the individual. That outward appearance, though, is just one aspect of a complex multidimensional phenotype. The research value of ornithological collections is enhanced when they include specimen types and data that capture other aspects of the phenotype and its underlying genotype. Fortunately, recent advances that make new use of traditional specimens (study skins), as well as new specimen and data types, now make this possible. The “extended specimen” is a constellation of specimen preparations and data types that, together, capture the broader multidimensional phenotype of an individual, as well as the underlying genotype and biological community context from which they were sampled. Ornithological collections are now growing to embrace these specimen and data types, which creates enormous potential for specimen-based research in the 21st century