Research and Curation Projects

integration and Curation of the UCLA Ichthyology Collection at Scripps Institution of Oceanography

In 2014, the UCLA Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology transferred its remaining Ichthyological Collection to Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), ensuring the long-term preservation and accessibility of this historically significant resource. The collection comprises approximately 9,000 lots originally assembled under the direction of Dr. Boyd Walker (1949–1980) and later curated by Dr. Don Buth (1980–present).

Specimens, preserved in 40–45% isopropyl alcohol, represent an extensive record of coastal and offshore fish diversity across central and southern California, Baja California, the Gulf of California, and the Tropical Eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Peru, including remote islands such as the Revillagigedos, Clipperton, and the Galápagos. Additional holdings span the Caribbean, central and western Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans. Collection dates range from 1886 to 2011, with peak sampling between 1948 and 1970.

Reflecting the strong ecological focus of its curators, the UCLA collection includes rich associated metadata—such as detailed site descriptions, notes on aquatic vegetation and non-fish fauna, field illustrations, and photographs. The transfer also contributed 154 secondary types and 125 species new to SIO’s catalog. All materials have now been fully recataloged and digitized, and both specimens and associated data are available for ongoing and future research at SIO.