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Laboratory for Environmental Biology

Paleobiology Collection Database

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A portion of the Vertebrate Paleobiology collections of the UTEP Biodiversity Collections, Centennial Museum, University of Texas at El Paso, are online. Certain policies and conventions are used in the database that require understanding for efficient use. For access to the database and instructions for maneuvering within the database, see the Searchable Databases page.

The database is a catalogue, not an accessions record, and may include material reposited in the collections but not owned by the state. As with all human endeavors, database accuracy as presented here cannot be guaranteed. Identification data in the database are tentative and should not be utilized in publications or research without examination of specimens or, at minimum, communication with the curator. Use of some information must receive the approval of the responsible agency (check with the curator). Specific locality data below that of county are not included in the public database; other data often are available, and access to these data requires justification through communication with the curator.

Because of the necessity of accommodating archaeology-related material, the specimen numbering system is somewhat clumsy (archaeologists seem to want to include the history of the universe in a catalogue number). The basic specimen number consists of a site number (UTEP or of other responsible institution) and a specific specimen number unique within the site. Thus 6-432 would be specimen 432 from site 6. If a decimal point followed by three zeros is present (e.g., 6-432.000), the decimal point and following zeros are not part of the catalogue number (this formatting results from accommodating archaeological catalogue numbers).

Some fields require explanation. The "cf/?" field is used to indicate degree of dependability of identification. "CFG" and "CFS" indicate comparability to the indicated genus or species respectively, but the identification is not "certain", though probable. "?G" and "?S" indicate very uncertain identifications at the generic or specific levels.

The acronym for Laboratory for Environmental Biology collections is UTEP. The Paleobiology Collection is separated from other LEB collections by "F". For information not on the public database or for loan of material, contact (aharris@utep.edu), Curator of Vertebrate Paleobiology.

The databases usually will be available between 8 am and 5 pm Mountain Standard or Daylight Savings Time on weekdays and 12 N to 5 pm on weekends. These times cannot be guaranteed, however. Under our current software (FileMaker Pro 11), the number of individuals that can access a database at any one time is five—if you are denied entry, please try again later. When you are done with a database, please log out in order to not block others from accessing the file. Most browsers do well with most functions, though some have difficulty with sorting.

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