2021 Volume 26 Issue 2 Article ID: 2038
Most Japanese endangered species assigned to the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment lack biological data for practical conservation plans because it is difficult to collect specimens due to inaccessible habitats or small population sizes. Natural history museums store many specimens of extinct or endangered species. Specimens of endangered species stored in museums facilitate the collection of biological information such as species distributions and morphological and genetic data. However, because occurrence records of endangered species are dispersed over paper specimen catalogues or checklists, analyses based on more integrated data are necessary. In this study, we integrated the occurrence records of species ranked as Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, and Endangered on the Red List in Japan, into one accessible dataset based on specimen data. The data indicate that museums in Japan hold more than one specimen of 95.9% of endangered species, with at least 58,415 specimens preserved overall. Together with museums overseas, specimens of 97.0% of endangered species were confirmed. In total, there were more than 20 specimens of 26.5% of endangered species that would be suitable for estimates of genetic diversity within a population. These natural history specimens could be applied to various practical research endeavors, which would be useful for conservation efforts for endangered species. On the other hand, some incomplete data and sampling bias were observed in relation to collection taxa, sites, and date. Although staff at natural history museums in Japan have contributed to the digitalization of specimen data and the sharing of databases via the internet, we still need to improve the reliability and coverage of endangered species through systematic collection of such specimens, enhancement of the quality of specimen data, and continuous management of preserved specimens.
