Fishes of Texas Project - compilation and standardization of museum-vouchered fish collection data, online database, and related research

Authors: Dean A. Hendrickson, Adam E. Cohen, Benjamin Labay, F. Douglas Martin, Sahotra Sarkar, Blake Sissel, Jeremy Harrison, Melissa Casares

Year: 2011 (xliii)

Abstract

We documented spatial and temporal distributions of Texas’ freshwater fishes by compiling museum specimen occurrence records from 33 institutions. The resulting 81,218 records include nearly all of the approximately 280 species found in Texas at 5,729 total localities sampled by 10,954 discrete collecting events from 1854 to 2009. Precise manual georeferencing of 87% of records (with estimates of placement error) facilitated discovery of probable identification errors via mapping and flagging of geographic outliers, then identification verification by specimen inspection. In some collections up to 70% of flagged records proved misidentified. Looking beyond records suspected on the basis of location to be mis-identified, we examined all 9,000 specimens of 15 species held in one collection and found mis-identification rates > 20% for 7 species, emphasizing that unvouchered observations should always be interpreted cautiously. Corrections of locations and identifications resulted in 36 new occurrence records of 25 species in major river basins from which they had not been previously recorded. The database continues to improve. In the last year we added data from 7 more institutions, greatly accelerated cataloging of backlogged specimens at Texas Natural History Collection, and acquired previously uncataloged specimens from other collections. Once georeferenced and added in phase 2, these new data will increase total occurrence records to > 103,000 (=27% growth). Scans of collectors’ fieldnotes are linked to the records, as is an extensive gallery of fish images. Species Distribution Models (=Ecological Niche Models) that we have generated (using Maxent) from these data for the majority of Texas’ species are accurate predictors of distributions and useful for research and management. We are also using them in explorations of faunal reactions to future climate scenarios and in computerized conservation network planning incorporating climate change and socio-economic data. A new, interactive, extensively illustrated identification key is in development, as are species accounts that link dynamically to independent online sources of knowledge about Texas’ species and habitats. We invite potential users to explore www.fishesoftexas.org and to help improve the site by commenting and uploading additional photos, fieldnotes, etc. We hope all who collect fishes voucher their collections in collections that contribute data to this resource.