South America has 141 mammal collections, a scientific treasure, with more than 746,000 catalogued specimens.

A study conducted by researchers from more than 100 national and international institutions, including Ecuador's National Institute of Biodiversity (INABIO), has identified 141 mammal collections in South America, more than doubling the 60 reported by the American Society of Mammalians in 2018.

Together, these collections house 746,000 cataloged specimens, including 452 primary types, essential for formal species description and taxonomy.

The report highlights that collections are concentrated primarily in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Peru, while significant gaps persist in the Guianas and Venezuela, limiting knowledge of biodiversity in those regions.

Ecuador, a regional benchmark in biodiversity

The study highlights the case of Ecuador, which, despite its small size, has six active collections housing around 38,400 cataloged specimens, making it a regional benchmark in conservation and research.

Among the most relevant institutions are the Zoology Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (QCAZ-M), the Mammalogy Collection of the National Polytechnic School (MEPN-M), INABIO, the museum of the Technical University of Loja, the museum of the University of Guayaquil, and the Municipal Museum of Guayaquil.

However, the study warns that these collections face significant challenges: a lack of specialized personnel, insufficient infrastructure to preserve tissues at ultra-low temperatures, incomplete digitization, and unstable funding.

The value of type specimens

Among the more than 746,000 cataloged specimens, scientists highlight the role of the 452 primary type specimens found in South America. In biology, a "type" is the reference specimen used to formally describe a species, making it an irreplaceable scientific treasure.

In addition to the types, the study records the existence of hundreds of paratypes, additional individuals used in species descriptions, which complement taxonomic knowledge.

Although the figure may seem small compared to the more than 1,500 mammal species that inhabit the region, researchers emphasize that it is a crucial step forward in strengthening collections and consolidating scientific knowledge.

Modern collections: beyond skeletons and skins

The study reveals that mammal collections in South America have evolved. They no longer store only skeletons and skins, but also tissues and genetic samples that allow for DNA analysis and the study of species evolution and diversification.

In total, 88 South American collections have tissue banks, with more than 100,000 registered samples. Although most are small, some are large-scale and can provide material for cutting-edge research in genomics, conservation, medicine, and emerging diseases.

These resources make it possible to compare populations, understand how mammal groups diversified, and even track the emergence of viruses and bacteria that can jump between species, directly connecting conservation with global public health.

Strengthening essential scientific infrastructure

Natural history collections, the report emphasizes, constitute an essential scientific infrastructure for both basic research and applications in conservation, agriculture, and health.

"The study demonstrates the importance of strengthening these institutions through public policies, stable financing, and regional collaboration," INABIO emphasized in its statement.

The research concludes that strengthening South American collections is not only key to preserving natural heritage, but also to generating strategic knowledge in a context of climate change, biodiversity loss, and the emergence of emerging pathogens. EFEverde