Page Contents: Section | Significance | Background | Location & Dates | Taxonomic Contents | Documentation | Description of Collection | Collection Inventory | Collection Assets
Twila Bratcher Collection
Section Responsible for Processing
MBC
Significance
LACM Malacology research associate Twila Bratcher is a terebrid gastropod specialist and her vast worldwide collection of this taxonomically important group of neogastropods is a significant addition to the collection. Included in the 2078 lots/5819 specimens were 19 lots/134 specimens of Pleistocene terebrids (now in the LACMIP collection) and 24 lots/55 paratype specimens.
Background
The Twila Bratcher terebrid collection was curated during MBPC grant Phase 1 (November 2002-February 2003) by Curatorial Assistant Krista Zala. It was initially donated to LACM in late 1997 through the efforts of then curator James H. McLean. Prior to this donation it was housed at the Hollywood Hills home of Twila Bratcher. Twila published over 40 peer-reviewed papers on the systematics of the terebridae based on her collection culminating with "Living terebras of the world: A monograph of the Recent Terebridae of the world" (with W.O. Cernohorsky) in 1987.
Collection Location and Dates
Terebrid gastropods are found worldwide from tropics to subtropical and temperate environments with most species being found in the shallow tropical Indo-Pacific. This collection was made over a span of over 40 years. Unfortunately, as with many amateur collections, the emphasis is on where a specimen was collected rather than what environment it inhabited. All specimens have geographic locality, occasionally depth, but little habitat information.
Taxonomic Contents
The living Terebridae includes the genera Terebra, Hastula, Hastula (Impages), Duplicaria, and Terenolla and 250+ species. All of these genera are represented as are most of the species in the Twila Bratcher collection thus making the LACM holdings of this family one of the largest in the U.S.
Documentation
Pre-curation documented was almost exclusively hand written labels that accompanied the specimens. A 3" x 5" index card file was also included. The labels are stored with the specimens with up-to-date LACM malacology labels and the card file is stored in the malacology section.
Description of Collection
This collection is exclusively dry shells, mostly identified to species by the donor prior to its arrival at LACM. It is currently housed in the Malacology collection range at the east end of the 3rd floor.
Collection Inventory
2078 lots were accessioned in 1997. Of these 2008 were curated by Krista Zala and the remaining 70 lots (fossils and paratypes) were curated by L.T. Groves.
Collection Assets
No collection assets available.