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<p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0">Lance,</p>
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<p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0">What kept the individual from collecting the non-native species in the first place? I would certainly caution against cataloging an unverifiable photograph because, as you mention, it promotes bad science and poor quality
data. It would be different if it was an endangered species, but I see a photograph of very little value in this particular situation. I personally am an advocate of not publishing records based on photographs unless the animals are protected. This is becoming
an all too common practice that is irresponsible IMHO. I hope this helps.</p>
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<p style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0">Curtis</p>
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<p>_________________________________</p>
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<p>Curtis J. Schmidt</p>
<p><span> </span>Zoological Collections Manager</p>
<p><span> </span>Sternberg Museum of Natural History</p>
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<p><span> </span>Instructor</p>
<p><span> Department of Biological Sciences</span><br>
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<p><span> Fort Hays State University</span><br>
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<p><span><span> 3000 Sternberg Drive</span><br>
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<p><span> Hays, KS 67601</span></p>
<p><span><span> 785-650-2447 (cell)</span><br>
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<p><span><span>________________________________</span></span></p>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Lance McBrayer <lancemcbrayer@georgiasouthern.edu><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, May 21, 2018 3:21:24 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nhcoll-l] Accession of rare photo records</font>
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<div class="x_gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">All</div>
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<div class="x_gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">I curate a herpetology collection of about 35,000 specimens, almost all of which are actual specimens. However, I also take definitive photographs such that there is little to no question
about the species in the photograph. I am aware of the debate on the value of photographic records, but I've come into an interesting situation.</div>
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<div class="x_gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">Recently, a collector I do not know asked to voucher a photograph of an invasive species of tropical frog that is established in Florida, and now Georgia and several other states. Yet
this record is from Massachusetts. Furthermore, the specimen was photographed in a potted plant in a national chain store of lumber and hardware...in February of 2018.</div>
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<div class="x_gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">Clearly the frog was brought there in or on the plant(s). But as such, this record is potentially valuable. This tropical frog species is very likely to have died in the harsh MA winter....but
it does well cohabitating with humans...so maybe not. And the store is literally next to a major river. So, if it does survive and disperse, it could move lots of places quickly.</div>
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<div class="x_gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">I have contacted four other very knowledgeable herpetologists to confirm my identification, and that of the collector. We all agree it "looks like" the same species; i.e. all five of us
agree on the identification.</div>
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<div class="x_gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">To accession, or not to accession? How do we balance the risk of preserving
<span style="color:rgb(34,34,34); font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif; font-size:small; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; text-align:start; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; word-spacing:0px; background-color:rgb(255,255,255); float:none; display:inline">
high <span style="color:rgb(34,34,34); font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif; font-size:small; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; text-align:start; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; word-spacing:0px; background-color:rgb(255,255,255); float:none; display:inline"><i><u>quality</u></i></span><span style="font-style:normal; color:rgb(34,34,34); font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif; font-size:small; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; text-align:start; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; word-spacing:0px; background-color:rgb(255,255,255); float:none; display:inline"> </span></span>data
while at the same documenting potentially important events like this?</div>
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<div class="x_gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">Thanks for your insights.</div>
<div class="x_gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">lm</div>
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<div><font face="'times new roman', serif"><span style="font-size:x-small">Lance D. McBrayer</span></font></div>
<div><font face="'times new roman', serif"><span style="font-size:x-small">Associate Dean of Faculty & Research Programs</span></font></div>
<div><font face="'times new roman', serif"><span style="font-size:x-small">College of Science and Mathematics</span></font></div>
<div><span style="font-size:x-small; font-family:'times new roman',serif">Georgia Southern University</span><br>
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<div><span style="font-size:x-small; font-family:'times new roman',serif">TEL: 912.478.5111</span><br>
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<div><font color="#0000ee" face="times new roman, serif" size="1"><u><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__sites.google.com_a_georgiasouthern.edu_lance-2Dd-2Dmcbrayer_&d=DwMFaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=X8OZAEBTE3DbHbmuWdsqg9AShDNGf1EHZQbvVr2zrm8&s=nrFiBYQ9akOJWFB-DdBiohFzLRZa6tB2IYJPTWTiE1k&e=" target="_blank">Webpage</a></u></font></div>
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