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Ocean bottom residue collection

The ocean bottom residue collection is a collection of washed residues accumulated as a side product of the extensive research on extant foraminifera carried out by micropalaeontologists in the Natural History Museum.

Although it was developed separately from the much larger ocean bottom deposit (OBD) collection, many of the samples were derived from it. These bulk samples come from over 200 individual collections or expeditions that may be available for ocean acidification research.

Details

Organisms included:

The residue samples contain sieved calcareous microfossils such as:

  • foraminifera
  • ostracods
  • pteropods

Larger washed samples are suitable for the study of larger organisms such as:

  • bryozoa
Timespan covered:

From the 1860s (Porcupine cruise) and 1870s (Challenger forams in the Brady Collection) through to the late 20th century (J Athersuch collection).

Major expeditions represented in the collection:

In order of number of stations visited:

  1. A Earland collection (450 locations/stations; 1920’s-30’s)
  2. Discovery expedition (332 stations; 1925-1936)
  3. J Athersuch collection (310 stations; 1977)
  4. Heron-Allen-Earland collection (307 locations/stations)
  5. Goldseeker cruise (240 stations; 1902-22)
  6. HMS Challenger (185 stations; 1873-1876)
  7. J Murray collection - HEMS. Mabahiss expedition (151 stations; 1933-34)
  8. Albatross (127 stations)
  9. HMS Waterwitch (120 stations; 1894-96)
  10. HMS Penguin (113 stations; 1890-1896)
  11. Porcupine (105 stations; 1869-1870)
Collection location: 

Palaeontology Department at the Natural History Museum, London.

Curation and collection management

Preservation and storage:
  • Samples are stored in glass bottles and jars, housed within a single row of cabinets.
  • Preservation is mixed - predominantly dry, some wet or evaporated.
Database information:

A summary of the residue collection includes information on:

  • expedition or collection name
  • number of collecting stations/localities
  • location information – geographic place names
  • whether grid references are available
  • collection date (where available)

Residue collection summary Excel (37.5 KB)

A full catalogue of the ocean bottom residue collection is available in the micropalaeontology section at the Museum. However, detailed Excel databases exist for the following residue collections:

  • HMS Challenger:

Challenger residues database Excel (54.0 KB)

  • Discovery:

Discovery residues database Excel (134.5 KB)

  • J Murray collection - H.E.M.S. Mabahiss expedition:

HEMS Mabahiss residues database Excel (74.0 KB)

  • HMS Porcupine:

Porcupine residues database Excel (40.5 KB)

Associated collections

Most samples are also represented by picked slides in the main zoology and palaeontology (forams) collections. These specimens are not accessible for destructive sampling but act as a guide to the content of the residue and OBD collections.

Print version

Contact information

Clive Jones
Palaeontology Curator
Natural History Museum, London
Email

Related databases

Excel files

If you are unable to open any Excel file on this page, please email the project coordinator Jeremy Young to request the document in another format.

Associated collections

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