Biological database of every species

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Pycnogonid

Well-Known Member
Would it be possible to keep a preserved sample of every known species on Earth? They don't need to be living specimens (but that is allowed). They can be dead specimens, fur, seeds, tissue, etc.


How would such a thing go?
 
That thing already exist, altough widespread in all the natural history museums of Earth (logically would be impossible to join all species samples in a single space, since for many species (and not necessarily only the extinct ones), there are much less known samples/preserved specimens than natural history museums in the world). This way each museum can have their local treasures.
A preserved sample of each species is now obligated for the consideration of species, usually is the sample of the specimen in which the official description is based: the holotype (or the series of syntypes). If holotype is missing then must be designated a neotype. So every described species must count with a type specimen preserved.
 
Kakapo said:
That thing already exist, altough widespread in all the natural history museums of Earth (logically would be impossible to join all species samples in a single space, since for many species (and not necessarily only the extinct ones), there are much less known samples/preserved specimens than natural history museums in the world). This way each museum can have their local treasures.
A preserved sample of each species is now obligated for the consideration of species, usually is the sample of the specimen in which the official description is based: the holotype (or the series of syntypes). If holotype is missing then must be designated a neotype. So every described species must count with a type specimen preserved.
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Wait, extant species have holotypes? I thought that was only for paleontology.
 
Not, this is for every species, both extinct or extant. When Linnaeus wrote it's Systema Naturae it was not needed to designate a type specimen for describe a new species, but today is it. And it's very logic, as one must have a type specimen to compare it with other specimens. In various occasions, for example, a taxon was known with certain specific name for centuries in all scientific and popular circles, but revising the type specimen and/or original description, it has been demonstrated that they belong to different species than supposed and must be designated with a new name.
 
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