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 The
Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Paleontological Collection
has been recognised by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology
(FRST) as one of the "Nationally significant" databases
and collections. It includes a large number of type and figured
specimens, and comprehensive stratigraphic and geological collections
of fossil taxa from New Zealand and its surrounding area (including
Antarctica). It also includes extensive molluscan, foraminiferal,
and palynological systematic reference collections, important historical
collections and foreign reference material. The collections are
used primarily for research though some of the more interesting
and spectacular specimens are on display at the Institute and in
TePapa
-The Museum of New Zealand.
| Type of collection |
Number of
collection lots |
Number of individuals |
| |
|
|
| Microfossils |
35,000 |
>3,000,000 |
| Macrofossil invertebrates |
15,500 |
1,200,000 |
| Vertebrates |
550 |
approx.
800 |
| Plant microfossils |
20,000 |
millions |
| Plant macrofossils |
1,350 |
approx 10,000 |
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Loans
 GNS Science, and before that the New Zealand Geological Survey, has developed over many decades (e.g. Fleming 1964. NZ Journal of Geology and Geophysics, vol. 7, no. 8, p. 887-888) a policy to make its fossil specimens available for scientific study, either through access to the GNS collections or through loaning specimens for study off-site. GNS welcomes visiting paleontologists and provides space and facilities for examining the fossil material in its care. Loans of fossils are possible, but in some cases GNS will provide digital images or 3D scans of material in preference to making a loan.
Loans for scientific study are made based on the following guidelines:
- Loans for bona fide research are made at the discretion of the curator and are normally made to an Institution rather than an individual. Responsibility for care and security of the specimens and for their safe return lies with the borrowing institution.
- The number of specimens on loan to any one borrower is limited (normally less than 10 at any one time); this applies particularly to overseas borrowers.
- A Loan Agreement Form, signed by the Paleontology curator, the manager of the Paleontology and Environmental Change section, the borrower and, where appropriate, the departmental head of the borrowing institution, is required for a loan to be properly implemented.
- The loan of specimens overseas is subject to the Protected Objects Act, administered by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage. GNS will make the application for export on your behalf. More information about the Protected Objects Act can be found at this address. (http://www.mch.govt.nz/protected-objects).
- The limit on the duration of a loan is normally 6 months.
Arrangement of Collections
General field collections are curated under "collection"
accession numbers tied to the New
Zealand Fossil Record File (locality based).
Material from the general collections identified as type,
figured, or referred specimens may be designated numbers from
additional specimen based catalogues. World Mollusca and Recent
Mollusca reference collections also have separate catalogues.
Several of the type collections have published catalogues.
The following institutional prefixes are or have been used:
NZGS - New Zealand Geological Survey (1865-1990)
DSIR Geo - Department of Scientific and Industrial Research,
Geology and Geophysics Division (1990 - 1992)
GNS - Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (1992-present)
Click here for a description
of the GNS paleontological catalogues.
For more information contact us here |
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