Bird type specimens in the AfricaMuseum (RMCA)

The name-bearing types at the RMCA ornithological collection are represented by these unique records: 89 holotypes, 5 lectotypes and 36 syntypes compose the most important part among the 988 type specimens of birds kept in Tervuren. This types’ dataset was based on a digitally updated catalogue (Louette et al. 2010), that was a revision of an earlier detailed inventory (Louette et al. 2002). Thanks to recent comparisons by Louette (2023), we hereby highlight actualised taxonomic findings: - Of 25 bird species, accepted by the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), the AfricaMuseum holds the type specimens, including 12 holotypes and almost all syntypes which are listed in this updated dataset. - A few other birds that have not yet been recognised as distinct species by the IOC (2021), are additionally discussed, of which the three holotypes are indicated here as incipient species in taxon remarks. - Besides, many taxa are listed as accepted subspecies by the IOC for which the RMCA has type material. - Moreover, three birds that were originally considered to be species and once described by holotypes, appear to be melanistic morphs of already known species belonging to other taxa. Paratypes are excluded from this dataset, since only the name-bearing types were photographed and digitised through an earlier project, partially funded by Belspo. Initially, this data mobilisation was situated as a paradigm case in the experimentally Semantic Web-based Thematic European Reference Network Application (STERNA, http://www.sterna-net.eu) that aimed to develop a capacious database on birds according to the objectives of a European Digital Library (EDL) and its portal Europeana (www.europeana.eu). References: Louette, M., D. Meirte, A. Louage & A. Reygel, 2002. Type specimens of birds in the Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren. Doc. Zool. (Mus. R. Afr. Centr.) 26, 105 pp. Louette, M., D. Meirte, A. Louage & A. Reygel, 2010. Type specimens of birds in the Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren. Revised Edition. Zool. Doc. Online Series (R. Mus. Centr. Afr.) 332 pp. Louette, M., 2023. The bird species from the type collection. Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren. Collections of the RMCA. 180 pp. International Ornithological Committee http://www.worldbirdnames.org/ especially IOC 2021 World Bird List 11.2. doi: 10.14344/IOC.ML.11.2比利时特尔夫伦皇家中非博物馆（Royal Museum for Central Africa, RMCA）鸟类馆藏中的定名模式标本（name-bearing type specimens）由以下唯一记录构成：该馆馆藏的988件鸟类模式标本中，89件正模标本（holotypes）、5件选模标本（lectotypes）及36件综模标本（syntypes）构成了核心部分。本模式标本数据集基于2010年更新的数字化名录（Louette等，2010），该名录是对2002年早期详细编目（Louette等，2002）的修订版本。 得益于Louette（2023）近期的比对研究，我们在此披露最新的分类学研究结果： - 国际鸟类委员会（International Ornithological Committee, IOC）认可的25种鸟类的模式标本均收藏于该非洲博物馆（AfricaMuseum），其中包含本更新数据集中收录的12件正模标本及几乎全部综模标本。 - 另有部分鸟类尚未被2021版IOC认定为独立物种，本文亦对其展开讨论，其中3件正模标本在分类注释中被标记为初期物种（incipient species）。 - 此外，还有诸多类群被IOC认定为有效亚种，RMCA收藏有这些类群的模式标本。 - 另有3种鸟类最初被认定为独立物种并以正模标本发表，后续研究表明它们实为其他类群已知物种的黑化变型（melanistic morphs）。 副模标本（paratypes）未被纳入本数据集，因早期一项由比利时联邦科学政策办公室（Belspo）部分资助的项目仅对定名模式标本进行了拍摄与数字化处理。 本数据活化项目最初作为基于语义网的欧洲主题参考网络应用（Semantic Web-based Thematic European Reference Network Application, STERNA, http://www.sterna-net.eu）的示范性案例，该项目旨在依据欧洲数字图书馆（European Digital Library, EDL）及其门户欧洲ana（Europeana, www.europeana.eu）的目标构建大型鸟类数据库。 参考文献： Louette, M., D. Meirte, A. Louage & A. Reygel, 2002. 《比利时特尔夫伦皇家中非博物馆馆藏鸟类模式标本》。《中非皇家博物馆动物学文献》（Doc. Zool. (Mus. R. Afr. Centr.)）26卷，共105页。 Louette, M., D. Meirte, A. Louage & A. Reygel, 2010. 《比利时特尔夫伦皇家中非博物馆馆藏鸟类模式标本（修订版）》。《动物学文献在线丛书》（Zool. Doc. Online Series (R. Mus. Centr. Afr.)），共332页。 Louette, M., 2023. 《模式馆藏鸟类物种》。比利时特尔夫伦皇家中非博物馆，《RMCA馆藏集》，共180页。 国际鸟类委员会（International Ornithological Committee）官网：http://www.worldbirdnames.org/ 特指2021版IOC世界鸟类名录11.2。DOI: 10.14344/IOC.ML.11.2