CO subform: Collection Object Attributes

This sub-form is important for sorting and organizing large datasets. Because NPL uses a single database for all its collection, this is where we organize our collection data into mineral, invertebrate, micro-fossil collections etc.., We also record other important index information here, like biological stage and sex. It's not always possible to know this information, so don't sweat it if the fields have to be left blank. Most important to remember, don't guess. If you have a label where the determiner guesses, so ahead and fill in the field but make a note in the specimen remarks. An example of this would be a label that reads " probably juvenile". Select Juvenile in the Biological stage, but put in the remarks that the determiner said this was probably a juvenile.

Chapters in this section

Subforms in the CO form:

1) Collection Type

This field helps us sort out which of the many types of fossils in our care the record is referring to.

The choices for this field are:

Invertebrate: Animals without vertebra. This includes marine inters like clams and starfish as well as terrestrial inverts such as insects.

Meteorite: debris from space that has managed to survive a rather heated argument with Earth's atmosphere, and now lives in our collections. This term applies ONLY to the actual space rock.

Microfossil: Smaller than the head of a pin? Is it mounted on a microfossil slide? Sounds like a microfossil. While matrix and sand samples fit the first description, those are categorized as Rocks or Minerals.

Plant fossil: any organism in the plant kingdom. This includes aquatic plants as well as terrestrial ones.

Tektite: the glassy debris formed from terrestrial debris ejected during meteorite impacts.

Vertebrate: of course, we don't have many of these. But there are a few that we do have, namely shark teeth, fish otoliths and Graptoliths.

2) Biological stage

All species have a life cycle that is divided into stages- these selections cover most of the general life stages of plants, chordates, marine invertebrates and insects. DO NOT ASSUME the specimen you are working with is a fully developed adult. Unless you know for sure, or the label states the biological stage, leave this blank.

The choices for this field are:

Adult: fully developed animal.

Egg: oval or round object, usually containing a developing embryo.

Embryo: unborn/unhatched animal. For our uses, this applies to animals only.

Hatchling: recently emerged from an egg

Immature: as a biological stage, not a determination of a mental state. A general term grouping together hatchling, juvenile, sub-adult and so on.

Juvenile: of or relating to young birds or other animals. Again, not a determination of mental state.

Larva: an immature form of some animals that undergo some metamorphosis- like tadpole (frog) or caterpillar (butterfly)

Nymph: mostly applies to insects, they usually look like small adults but without the wings.

Pupa: an insect in its inactive immature form between larva and adult- a chrysalis (butterfly) or tumbler (mosquito).

Seed: reproductive part of a flowering plant.

3) Sex

Not to be confused with gender, Sex refers to the main categories living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions. Leave this blank unless it is specifically stated on the specimen label, or unless you are qualified to make this determination on your own.

Choices for this field are:

Both: also known as hermaphrodite, this refers to animals and plants that normally have both the male and female organs of generation.

Female: the plant or animal that contains the ova

Male: the plant or animal that produces the small, typically motile gamete

Unknown: This means that someone has tried to determine the sex of the specimen and was unable to do so. This is not the same as just assuming that because nobody specifically states the sex of the specimen, the sex is unknown. Leave it blank unless the label says the sex is unknown!