ACCESS NUMBER: M12AC00014

STUDY TITLE: Optimization of Non-Voucher Gulf of Mexico Benthic Fauna Specimen 

Archives – A Cooperative Effort with the U.S. National Museum of Natural History

REPORT TITLE: Optimization of Non-Voucher Gulf of Mexico Benthic Fauna 

Specimen Archives – A Cooperative Effort with the U.S. National Museum of Natural 

History

CONTRACT NUMBER: M12AC00014

SPONSORING OCS REGION: Gulf of Mexico

APPLICABLE PLANNING AREA(S): Western, Central and Eastern Planning Areas 

FISCAL YEAR(S) OF PROJECT FUNDING: FY 2008-2015

COMPLETION DATE OF REPORT: TBD

COSTS: BOEM $ 153,876.00. LSU $ 153,876.00

PROJECT MANAGER(S): Robert S. Carney

AFFILIATION: Louisiana State University

ADDRESS: Energy Coast and Environment Bldg, LSU, Baton Rouge, La 70803

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S)*: Robert S. Carney and Harry H. Roberts

KEY WORDS: Gulf of Mexico, Deep-water, Invertebrate specimens, Hydrocarbon 

Seeps, Offshore Platforms

BACKGROUND: BOEM has supported biological and geological sampling by 

Louisiana State University (LSU) scientists since 1986 through a combination of 

competitive contracts and the Coastal Marine Institute. These activities resulted in large 

specimen archives under supervision of Dr. Robert S. Carney (biology) and Dr. Harry H. 

Roberts (geology). Upon their retirement, both collections were offered to the U.S. 

National Museum of Natural History (USNMNH) to support future investigations. It was 

discovered later that the archival obligations of the USNMNH do not extend to 

geological samples. The invertebrate animal collections were donated, but rocks were 

retained at LSU.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to donate a large specimen archive to the 

USNMNH in a manner that assured incorporation into the collection without 

overburdening the museum staff.

DESCRIPTION: The collection of hydrocarbon seep and offshore platform 

invertebrates housed at LSU under supervision of Dr. Robert S. Carney were fully 

reexamined, sorted, transferred from formaldehyde to ethanol, labelled, and transferred 

to storage jars acceptable to the USNMNH. The USNMNH provided training to two LSU 
ACCESS NUMBER: M12AC00014

undergraduate workers in proper procedure and data entry. In addition three USNMNH 

staff travelled to LSU in July 2014 to carryout packing and shipping in full compliance of 

all hazardous materials restrictions. Nine 55 gallon drums weighing approximately 2000 

lbs were shipped. The donated specimens were received by the USNMNH and will 

undergo full incorporation into the national collection. 

SIGNIFICANT CONCLUSIONS: Whole collection donation to the USNMNH rather than 

voucher specimens alone is feasible if the following is accomplished by the collecting 

party. (1) Data should conform to USNMNH standards and formats for easy 

incorporation. (2) Specimens should be sorted to the highest practical taxonomic level 

and counted. (3) Original preservation should follow USNMNH recommendations. (4) 

The collecting party should confer with USNMNH as to an acceptable schedule of 

submission. 

STUDY RESULTS: Not Applicable

STUDY PRODUCT(S): Carney, R.S. 2016. Optimization of non-voucher Gulf of Mexico 

benthic fauna specimen archives–a cooperative effort with the U.S. National Museum of 

Natural History. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, New Orleans, LA. OCS Study BOEM 2016-058. 10 pp.