The palaeontological collection stored in the Department of Geology of the National Museum of Natural History NAS of Ukraine as a scientific heritage

Abstract

The palaeontological collection of the Geological Department of the National Museum of Natural History NAS of Ukraine (NMNH NASU) is among the most valuable objects of the national scientific and cultural heritage. The article presents a brief analytical review of this assembly and its structure is also highlighted. It consists of 363 collections including 35 481 storage units of fossil fauna (mostly invertebrates) and flora of Vendian-Quaternary age. Most of the collections are monographic (245). Among them, different fossil systematic groups are presented: flora, foraminifera, sponges, hydrozoans, conulariids, corals, worms, molluscs, chelicerates, trilobites, crustaceans, bryozoans, brachiopods, echinoderms, graptolites, and fishes. A hundred and thirty-three authors, twenty scientific, educational and manufacturing institutions of Ukraine and abroad participated in the formation of the collections, which originate from 16 countries of the world. The uniqueness of the assembly is that its main part (80 %) originates from Ukraine as a material result of palaeontological and stratigraphic studies conducted here at different times. The scientific value of the NMNH NASU Geological Department Palaeontological collection lies in the presence of reference samples of international importance — holotypes (in total, 1 647 units). An overview on the acquisition history of the NMNH NASU Geological Department Paleontological collection is presented. In formation of the assembly, three steps that differ in quantity and sources of admissions were traced. Among the variety of palaeontological collections that are being kept in the Geological Department of NMNH NASU, the following groups are distinguished. I. Monographic palaeontological collections. II. Regional reference collections (reference collections of stratotypes). III. Other (non-monographic) collections with further gradation into subgroups. The main directions of research work with collections that are currently in progress are considered. The criteria that influence the level of collections’ significance and can be the basis for their ranking are proposed. A task for the future is set, which is the evaluation and ranking of collections by their value that is important for their conservation.

Keywords

• paleontology
• museum collections
• geoheritage
• fossils