[Nhcoll-l] Holotype specimens on SEM stubs

[Hannco Bakker]

Dear all whom may it be of interest,

I've received via my colleague the discussion in regard to SEM stub storage
and perhaps I could add my experience.

I've started as Collection Manager for the Invertebrates here at Naturalis
in February 2023. And throughout these collections I've encountered various
ways of storing the SEM stubs. Mostly problematic ones. Attached are five
images of examples that I've seen.

Among them you may notice the single-storage tubes that were discussed
before and it looks rather decent, however many of those have been replaced
through time as the plastic seems to crack. Therefore the researcher that
used those put them per 9 in bigger boxes again.
The small blue boxes come in multiple colors and often have a holder for
3-5 SEM stubs. The holder tends to crack as well, leaving the SEM stubs
loose in the boxes and rolling, damaging what is on top. Sometimes the
stubs are loose in these boxes as well, in my opinion a terrible way of
storage.
Other collections are stored in white (packaging) foam, however these break
down by time as well and are not acid free. Texts on the tubs fade as well.

I've attempted to find other storage methods that were already in place in
other collections for the SEM stubs we use, but did not find any decent
solution.
Therefore I've just looked through the materials we have in stock here and
decided to furbish something myself.

[image: WhatsApp Image 2025-01-07 at 14.43.44.jpeg]
I came across this tool by accident and it had the perfect size, similar to
our SEM stubs. Even better, you can order these tools in every 0,5 mm
difference. As there is some variation among SEM stubs. It is perfect to
punch holes in foam. We have 10 mm thick black foam that we use for large
fossils in shelves. Acid free, come in large sheets and easy to order. The
foam has a firm grip on the SEM stubs and they remain fitted, even upside
down, or by accidentally hitting a door. Ofcourse, tested with empty SEM
stubs.

Our logistic team told me they had a large stock of flat 40 mm high boxes
that could be useful. Insect pins fit perfectly inside to hold any labels.
An example below of how I started storing the SEM stubs with just these
basic materials.

[image: WhatsApp Image 2025-01-07 at 14.40.20.jpeg]

And it seems to work. Researchers, visitors and students working with the
Invertebrate collections now use these boxes. They get one once they start,
if it is full, they hand it in and get a new one. They are all registered
right away. A few hundreds are now stored this way, a few thousands yet to
go in the backlog.

[image: WhatsApp Image 2025-01-07 at 14.40.12.jpeg]

Any thoughts on this methodology? As I would be keen for joining this
discussion and perhaps improving it as well.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Kind regards,
Hannco


-- 
Met vriendelijke groet,

Hannco Bakker
Collection Manager Invertebrates

For our collection database: https://bioportal.naturalis.nl/

Researchgate - P.A.J. Bakker
<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hannco-Bakker>
LinkedIn - P.A.J. Bakker
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannco-piet-a-j-bakker-53a59b63/>
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hannco.bakker at naturalis.nl - www.naturalis.nl
Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden
Postbus 9517, 2300 RA Leiden
<https://www.naturalis.nl/>
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