Pursuing pademelon provenance: a pilot study using portable XRF to trace field-collection of museum mammal specimens
Abstract Internationally, the value and usefulness of museum zoological specimens are compromised when supporting contextual data are lost or disconnected from the specimen. In this pilot study, twelve Macropodidae Thylogale (pademelon) skins with known provenance from the Australian Museum (Sydney)...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Heritage Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-023-00998-1 |
| _version_ | 1827890296439963648 |
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| author | Celia Cramer Elizabeth A. Carter Brad Swarbrick Jude Philp Peter A. Lay |
| author_facet | Celia Cramer Elizabeth A. Carter Brad Swarbrick Jude Philp Peter A. Lay |
| author_sort | Celia Cramer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Internationally, the value and usefulness of museum zoological specimens are compromised when supporting contextual data are lost or disconnected from the specimen. In this pilot study, twelve Macropodidae Thylogale (pademelon) skins with known provenance from the Australian Museum (Sydney) were analysed using portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and principal component analysis. Elemental composition of preservative residues was assessed to establish if common patterns existed and could be associated with particular field collectors. Specimens were differentiated, and the field collector deduced, based on elemental analysis of preservative residues on skins. Each of the nineteenth century field collectors, in this study, were found to have applied the same or similar preservatives to zoological specimens over a number of years, which showed a consistent pattern of practice. Additionally, the specimens obtained by each of the field collectors could be distinguished from one another based on the preservative residues. These discoveries provide exciting prospects for the use of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to couple museum specimens with unknown contextual data via their field collector and associated archival evidence, and hence, enable a considerable enhancement of their value as museum and research objects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:07:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-57ffca5fcedb4e9dbe2ab2c43a729de3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7445 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:07:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heritage Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-57ffca5fcedb4e9dbe2ab2c43a729de32023-07-30T11:22:05ZengSpringerOpenHeritage Science2050-74452023-07-0111111410.1186/s40494-023-00998-1Pursuing pademelon provenance: a pilot study using portable XRF to trace field-collection of museum mammal specimensCelia Cramer0Elizabeth A. Carter1Brad Swarbrick2Jude Philp3Peter A. Lay4School of Chemistry, The University of SydneySchool of Chemistry, The University of SydneySchool of Chemistry, The University of SydneyChau Chak Wing Museum, The University of Sydney, University PlSchool of Chemistry, The University of SydneyAbstract Internationally, the value and usefulness of museum zoological specimens are compromised when supporting contextual data are lost or disconnected from the specimen. In this pilot study, twelve Macropodidae Thylogale (pademelon) skins with known provenance from the Australian Museum (Sydney) were analysed using portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and principal component analysis. Elemental composition of preservative residues was assessed to establish if common patterns existed and could be associated with particular field collectors. Specimens were differentiated, and the field collector deduced, based on elemental analysis of preservative residues on skins. Each of the nineteenth century field collectors, in this study, were found to have applied the same or similar preservatives to zoological specimens over a number of years, which showed a consistent pattern of practice. Additionally, the specimens obtained by each of the field collectors could be distinguished from one another based on the preservative residues. These discoveries provide exciting prospects for the use of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to couple museum specimens with unknown contextual data via their field collector and associated archival evidence, and hence, enable a considerable enhancement of their value as museum and research objects.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-023-00998-1Natural history museumPortable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopyProvenanceZoological specimensTaxidermyPrincipal component analysis |
| spellingShingle | Celia Cramer Elizabeth A. Carter Brad Swarbrick Jude Philp Peter A. Lay Pursuing pademelon provenance: a pilot study using portable XRF to trace field-collection of museum mammal specimens Heritage Science Natural history museum Portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy Provenance Zoological specimens Taxidermy Principal component analysis |
| title | Pursuing pademelon provenance: a pilot study using portable XRF to trace field-collection of museum mammal specimens |
| title_full | Pursuing pademelon provenance: a pilot study using portable XRF to trace field-collection of museum mammal specimens |
| title_fullStr | Pursuing pademelon provenance: a pilot study using portable XRF to trace field-collection of museum mammal specimens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pursuing pademelon provenance: a pilot study using portable XRF to trace field-collection of museum mammal specimens |
| title_short | Pursuing pademelon provenance: a pilot study using portable XRF to trace field-collection of museum mammal specimens |
| title_sort | pursuing pademelon provenance a pilot study using portable xrf to trace field collection of museum mammal specimens |
| topic | Natural history museum Portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy Provenance Zoological specimens Taxidermy Principal component analysis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-023-00998-1 |
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