As part of Lorenzo Prendini’s research on the
molecular systematics of scorpions, a synoptic
collection of scorpion tissues, comprising ca. 2000
tissue samples and associated vouchers (nearly a
quarter of all described scorpion species and half of
all described genera) has accumulated through fieldwork
and donations or exchanges with colleagues around the
world. The collection is continually augmented and
includes sizable holdings of tissue samples from
Araneae (for the ATOL Spider Phylogeny project, for
which Prendini coordinates the flow of samples to the
Molecular Systematics Laboratory), Amblypygi,
Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Opiliones, Palpigradi, Ricinulei,
Schizomida, Solifugae and Uropygi, in addition to
Scorpiones. Among other countries, this material
originates from Argentina, Australia, Benin, Bolivia,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Dominican Republic,
France, French Guiana, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Israel,
Italy, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Martinique,
México, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, New Caledonia, New
Guinea, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Peru, Philippines,
Puerto Rico, Senegal, Seychelles, Taiwan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Turkey, South Africa, Uruguay, the U.S.A.,
Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
The Arachnid and Myriapod Tissue Collection, temporarily stored at -20°C in a large freezer in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology while being processed by Prendini and his research group, is systematically being transferred to the Ambrose Monell Collection for Molecular and Microbial Research of the AMNH for permanent storage. The AMCC frozen tissue storage facility, which can store one million samples, is intended as a core sample resource center for comparative genomics, storing a comprehensive range of species, including pure cultured samples of taxa under study as well as taxa that cannot currently be cultured. Since the collection opened in 2001, more than 5,400 samples have been accessioned. Samples are housed in liquid nitrogen at -150°C to maintain the highest quality and maximum stability of biomolecules indefinitely.
The Arachnid and Myriapod Tissue Collection, temporarily stored at -20°C in a large freezer in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology while being processed by Prendini and his research group, is systematically being transferred to the Ambrose Monell Collection for Molecular and Microbial Research of the AMNH for permanent storage. The AMCC frozen tissue storage facility, which can store one million samples, is intended as a core sample resource center for comparative genomics, storing a comprehensive range of species, including pure cultured samples of taxa under study as well as taxa that cannot currently be cultured. Since the collection opened in 2001, more than 5,400 samples have been accessioned. Samples are housed in liquid nitrogen at -150°C to maintain the highest quality and maximum stability of biomolecules indefinitely.