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    • Description of Specimens in the Marine Mammal Osteology Reference Collection

    Metadata Updated: April 1, 2024

    The NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) Marine Mammal Osteology Collection consists of approximately 2500 specimens (skulls and post-cranial skeletons) from 43 species of marine mammals from around the world. Specimens have been collected for life history studies over the past 60 years on projects ranging from pelagic sealing in the 1950s, to collections of marine mammals taken incidentally in commercial fisheries, and those found dead on beaches and rookeries from Alaska to the Antarctic.

    The NMML Osteology Collection also houses vast numbers of teeth, primarily from northern fur seals taken during the commercial and subsistence harvests on the Pribilof Islands, Steller sea lions taken incidentally in the Alaska fisheries, and sperm whales collected from Pacific coast whaling stations in the 1950s and 60s. The majority of these teeth were initially collected for aging, but many have been used in recent years in stable isotope, nursing and growth layer\growth index studies.

    This database is an inventory of specimens and associated data contained within the osteological collection.

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Date February 29, 2024
    Metadata Created Date October 28, 2022
    Metadata Updated Date April 1, 2024
    Reference Date(s) (publication)
    Frequency Of Update irregular

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NMFS AFSC

    Other Data Resources

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date February 29, 2024
    Metadata Created Date October 28, 2022
    Metadata Updated Date April 1, 2024
    Reference Date(s) (publication)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:26909
    Access Constraints Cite As: Alaska Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Description of Specimens in the Marine Mammal Osteology Reference Collection [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/26909., Access Constraints: User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy., Use Constraints: User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy. While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. Cite as: NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center (2016). Descriptions of marine mammal specimens in Marine Mammal Osteology Reference Collection, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory from 1938-01-01 to 2015-12-05 (NCEI Accession 0140937). Version 1.1. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. [access date] as the source from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these data. Communication and collaboration with data set authors is strongly encouraged., Distribution Liability: Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy. While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
    Bbox East Long -135
    Bbox North Lat 72
    Bbox South Lat -78
    Bbox West Long -180
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update irregular
    Harvest Object Id fea2065b-29c1-4a67-99ec-a224396188d4
    Harvest Source Id 26a29bb9-50b0-47fd-920b-edc74aa6ec76
    Harvest Source Title NMFS AFSC
    Licence NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose.
    Lineage Marine mammal specimens and collection data are submitted from various sources. Specimen identification is verified at the laboratory.
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-180.0, -78.0], [-135.0, -78.0], [-135.0, 72.0], [-180.0, 72.0], [-180.0, -78.0]]]}
    Progress underDevelopment
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 1950
    Temporal Extent End 2015

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