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Richness and health status of the Ecuadorian National Institute of Biodiversity's ornithological collection

Abstract:

We used the Collections Health Index (ISC) to assess the conservation status and to identify management priorities of the bird collection of the National Institute of Biodiversity (INABIO) of Ecuador. We analyzed the physical status and associated information of all the birds deposited in the collection, in two different periods. In 2014, the number of specimens in good curatorial condition and that could be used in research was 75.7 %, and in 2019 it increased to 87.1 %. The most important management priority of the collection is a larger inflow of specimens and their associated information, to be used in future research and conservation work. The richness of the collection is 9874 specimens, belonging to 1295 species of birds, with Passeriformes, Apodiformes and Piciformes being the most represented taxonomic orders. The collection includes 28 type specimens, which were used to describe new species and subspecies of birds for Ecuador.