Title: INT 97-16  NSF/Tokyo Report: Type Specimens in Japanese Fish Collections
Date: 5/21/97



The National Science Foundation's offices in Tokyo and in Paris periodically
report on developments abroad that are related to the Foundation's mission.
These documents present facts for the use of NSF program managers and policy
makers; they are not statements of NSF policy.

Special Scientific Report #97-11 (May 06, 1997)

Research Report:

Type Specimens in Japanese Fish Collections

The following report was prepared by Dr. William N. Eschmeyer, Department of
Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118 U.S.A.
Dr. Eschmeyer visited Japan from March 22 - April 14, 1997 as a Visiting
Research Fellow (short-term) under the sponsorship of the Japan Society for
the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Dr. Keiichi Matsuura, Fish Section,
Department of Zoology, National Science Museum Tokyo 169, Japan, served as
host scientist for Dr. Eschmeyer.  Dr. Eschmeyer may be reached via email at:
weschmeyer@calacademy.org.

a. Academic activities:

        The primary purposes of the 21-day JSPS visiting fellowship were to
        (1) record the location of type specimens of fishes in major Japanese
        museums and university collections, (2) publicize the availability of
        an extensive, worldwide database of information on fishes (see
        http://www.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/species) prepared under
        my direction, and (3) to examine possibilities for future
        collaboration in electronic innovation for handling ichthyological
        information.  The fellowship provided travel and living expenses.

        Five museums were visited to examine type specimens -- the original
        specimens used by the original author in providing the first
        description of a species; subsequent workers frequently have to
        re-examine these specimens, but finding where the specimens are
        located (which museum) is often very difficult.  I have visited many
        museums around the world, and this fellowship allowed me to
        trace/confirm the whereabouts of many type specimens held in Japan.  I
        visited the following institutions: National Science Museum, Tokyo;
        University of Tokyo, Kyoto University (both the main campus and the
        Maizuru campus where the collection is housed), Kochi University, and
        Hokkaido University at the Hakodate campus.  Working from printouts
        prepared before the trip and with a laptop computer, I was able to
        confirm the presence of most type specimens, and from information in
        the database was able to find additional type specimens that were not
        recognized as such.  Types for approximately 500 species were examined
        (or noted as apparently lost).  New information from the trip has now
        been entered in the databases.

        The second objective was to inform Japanese ichthyologists and their
        students of the availability of the databases for fishes that are on
        the WWW site of the California Academy of Sciences.  Although this
        site contains a database of the genera of fishes (also published and
        known to Japanese ichthyologists), the addition of the species
        database was made in late 1996.   This database contains information
        on the more than 50,000 named species of fishes (about half are valid
        for a total of about 25,000 actual species).  This database is very
        useful to many that need information about fishes, but it is
        especially valuable for ichthyological studies, especially on
        systematics of fishes.  At four locations I made slide-assisted talks
        to groups from 8 to over 40 attendees in order to discuss the
        development of the databases, their availability, and how the "gopher"
        search programs work.  At locations where WWW access was available, we
        did computer demonstrations.

        The third objective was to discuss, especially with my host scientist,
        possibilities for future collaboration.  Dr. Matsuura is interested in
        continuing to trace type specimens in Japan.  I will be providing him
        with printouts from the database of all species described by Japanese
        scientists, and updated printouts will be provided to the museums
        visited (and there will be some follow-up effort at some museums).  On
        a larger scale, we discussed the possibility of developing other
        databases that might be used by Japanese scientists.  Especially
        promising is to download a database of all species that occur in Japan
        as a framework for an electronic version of the fishes of Japan;
        Japanese scientists and educators could expand this by the addition of
        color figures, distribution maps, and other information in Japanese.
        It was decided that we would continue these discussions in the fall of
        1997 after publication of the information in the databases.

        In addition to meeting the objectives, extensive personal contact was
        made with many ichthyologists, students, and even a visit with Emperor
        Akihito (who researches and publishes in fish systematics).
        Ichthyology is a cooperative field -- sharing information and
        specimens, and personal contact is extremely valuable.  The people
        that assisted me at each museum I visited were very gracious hosts,
        and social activities were many, including excellent food.

b. Impressions and thoughts on the present state of science in Japan in
ichthyology:

        The type specimens housed around the world are "international"
        specimens -- they are the most important specimens any museum keeps,
        and they are for use by the international community.  Museums need to
        know what specimens they have.  On a global basis, the Japanese
        collections are about average or below average in their record keeping
        of type specimens held, but this should improve after information
        about  my fellowship is available.  As collections become
        computerized, more of the missing type specimens in Japan probably
        will be found.  A major problem almost unique to Japan is that
        historically there have been a number of private collections, held in
        small university departments or museums or even personal residences or
        the Tokyo fish market.  I was pleased to see efforts being made to
        move private collections to stable museums, and this applies
        especially to type specimens.  Primary type specimens generally are
        not held in private collections in other countries, and, typically,
        small university and museum collections in most countries do not keep
        primary type specimens, but deposit them in a few stable centers.
        Computerization of fish collections is being done around the world,
        with some collections fully "computerized" and others not so.  Three
        of the collections I visited were computerized.

        Japan has some extremely valuable general fish collections that have
        been accumulated in recent times from around the world, especially
        deep-sea and oceanic collections.  These are being used by scientists
        worldwide, and more publicity (such as an article in press on Japanese
        collection building by Dr. Matsuura) would encourage greater use.

        Japan has many ichthyologists (probably more per capita than any
        country) and a long history of significant contributions to the field.
        The Japanese scientists use modern methods, and are utilizing many
        techniques, including molecular ones.  I especially was impressed with
        the students I met and befriended.  At Hakodate, the concentration of
        graduate students in ichthyology is larger than at any other location
        in the world.  Most ichthyologists in Japan appear to have email and
        WWW access, but some did not (although most expect access in the near
        future).  Many Japanese read English, but students should be
        encouraged to learn to speak English -- those who can speak English
        tend to be the ones asked to attend world workshops and conferences
        where English is typically the primary language for the meeting, and
        these persons tend to have a greater impact on their field.

        Japan has many distinguished ichthyologists producing excellent
        studies.  Theses of students are first-rate, involving current
        methods, and most are published shortly after completion.  Japanese
        ichthyologists now work on worldwide taxa, whereas in earlier times
        they tended to work on regional issues.  They have excellent journals,
        especially the Japanese Journal of Ichthyology.  I was surprised at
        the large number of works in Japanese on fishes, particularly
        semi-popular treatments with excellent photography, for the Japanese
        market.  Almost certainly, the Japanese general public knows more
        about fishes than any other culture (because of diet and long fishing
        history), and Japanese ichthyologists make substantial contributions
        to the public knowledge of ichthyology [and this is why a regional
        electronic database of fishes might have considerable educational
        value.]

c. Comments or suggestions to JSPS concerning the Fellowship program:

        The short-term program in which I participated is truly excellent.
        The application process is simple, and a decision on funding is made
        very quickly.  The funding is generous, and reporting requirements are
        minimal.  The support of Dr. Matsuura (my host scientist) was superb,
        and I could not have accomplished the goals without his help, so the
        host-scientist system worked well for my fellowship.  Information
        provided, such as the booklet, "Japan, your traveling companion" was
        very useful.  The insurance coverage was reassuring, but not used in
        my case.

d. Other comments:

        The cooperation of ichthyologists in Japan at my several stops was
        exceptional, and it would be difficult for a non-Japanese-speaking
        scientist to work in Japan without such generous support.  The trip
        was a very successful one for me, with many new acquaintances and many
        fond memories.