Description of Specimens in the Marine Mammal Osteology Reference Collection

The NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) Marine Mammal Osteology Collection consists of approximately 2500 specimens (skulls and post-cranial skeletons) from 43 species of marine mammals from around the world. Specimens have been collected for life history studies over the past 60 years on projects ranging from pelagic sealing in the 1950s, to collections of marine mammals taken incidentally in commercial fisheries, and those found dead on beaches and rookeries from Alaska to the Antarctic.

The NMML Osteology Collection also houses vast numbers of teeth, primarily from northern fur seals taken during the commercial and subsistence harvests on the Pribilof Islands, Steller sea lions taken incidentally in the Alaska fisheries, and sperm whales collected from Pacific coast whaling stations in the 1950s and 60s. The majority of these teeth were initially collected for aging, but many have been used in recent years in stable isotope, nursing and growth layer\growth index studies.

This database is an inventory of specimens and associated data contained within the osteological collection.

These marine mammal osteological specimens have and continue to be collected from strandings, as incidental catches in commercial fisheries or (in earlier years) from directed research projects. Specimens continue to be used as comparative reference material, as well as for other research and education activities.

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The following FGDC sections are not currently supported in InPort, but were preserved and will be included in the FGDC export:

- Taxonomy (FGDC:taxonomy)

"MMBONECOLLECTION.CSV" is a comma-delimited file comprised of collection location, date, and descriptions of marine mammal osteological specimens curated in the museum collection.

Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy. While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.

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Acknowledge NOAA/NMFS/AFSC as the source from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these data. Communication and collaboration with data set authors is strongly encouraged prior to use. Cite data as: NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center (2016). Descriptions of marine mammal specimens in Marine Mammal Osteology Reference Collection, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory from 1938-01-01 to 2015-12-05 (NCEI Accession 0140937). Version 1.1. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. [access date]

Dataset is available through NCEI via the link provided in "Downloads."

User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy.

User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy. While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. Cite as: NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center (2016). Descriptions of marine mammal specimens in Marine Mammal Osteology Reference Collection, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory from 1938-01-01 to 2015-12-05 (NCEI Accession 0140937). Version 1.1. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. [access date] as the source from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these data. Communication and collaboration with data set authors is strongly encouraged.

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Metadata are subject to revision at any time and information within the metadata record should not be cited without author consent. While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.

Microsoft Excel

Opportunistic collections.

Not applicable.

Not available.

Data not automatically processed.

IT Security and Contingency Plan for the system establishes procedures and applies to the functions, operations, and resources necessary to recover and restore data as hosted in the Western Regional Support Center in Seattle, Washington, following a disruption

Marine mammal specimens and collection data are submitted from various sources. Specimen identification is verified at the laboratory.