Page Contents: Section | Significance | Background | Location & Dates | Taxonomic Contents | Documentation | Description of Collection | Collection Inventory | Collection Assets
Rocks Biological Consulting
Section Responsible for Processing
MBC
Significance
Rocks Biological Consulting is one of the largest biological consulting companies performing fairy shrimp surveys in the San Diego area. Rocks are early adopters in using proper preservation methods e.g. using 95% pure ethanol, making their samples ideal for molecular studies.
Background
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mandates depositing Southern California fairy shrimp for permanent storage into the LACM collections. Lee Ripma and Ian Hirschler are the lead biologists performing specimen collections.
Collection Location and Dates
Collections made in San Diego County have been coming the LACM since March 2005.
Taxonomic Contents
Fairy shrimp, and unsorted vernal pool macroinvertebrates.
Documentation
Excel spreadsheets are imported into MBC databases upon receipt of specimens.
Description of Collection
Specimens collected before 2012 were fixed and stored in 70% denatured ethanol, and then transferred to 95% pure (not-denatured) ethanol in early 2012.
Specimens collected in late 2014 and thereafter are fixed and preserved in pure 95% ethanol only.
Collection Inventory
There is no backlog of specimens. Specimens are received, processed and incorporated into the Crustacea Collections.
Most lots consist of only 1-3 adult male specimens. The two most common species in samples are Branchinecta sandiegoensis and B. lindahli. The remaining samples either contain other fairy shrimp species or unsorted macroinvertebrates.
Collection Assets
No collection assets available.