A study skin is a method of preparing a bird or mammal specimen for long-term preservation, primarily used in scientific collections.
What Makes a Specimen a Study Skin?
The key feature of a study skin is the removal of most of the internal structure. This process involves:
- Removing Internal Organs: The internal organs, muscles, and most of the skeleton are carefully removed.
- Filling the Body Cavity: The empty body cavity is then filled with cotton or another suitable material to restore the specimen's shape.
- Preserving the Exterior: The exterior skin and feathers or fur are left intact, allowing for external examination and identification.
Why Create Study Skins?
The primary reason for creating study skins is for long-term curation and study. They allow researchers to:
- Study Morphology: Researchers can carefully examine the specimen's external characteristics for identification and taxonomic studies.
- Maintain Collections: These specimens provide a long-lasting reference collection, which can be used for a variety of research, educational, and conservation purposes.
- Compare Specimens: Study skins allow researchers to compare various species, populations, or even individuals within a species to study variations.
Steps in Creating a Study Skin
While variations can occur, the following steps are generally involved:
- Collection: The specimen is collected and documented with relevant data like location, date, and time.
- Skinning: The skin is carefully removed from the carcass with minimal damage.
- Fleshing: Any remaining tissue is removed from the skin to prevent decomposition.
- Preservation: The skin is treated with preservatives such as borax to prevent insect infestation and decomposition.
- Stuffing: The skin is then stuffed with cotton, and then dried in a natural pose.
- Labeling: Each skin is labeled with its specific information for future reference.
Study Skins vs. Other Preparation Methods
While study skins are common, other preservation methods include skeletons or fluid-preserved specimens.
The table below highlights the differences:
| Preparation Method | Key Characteristics | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|
| Study Skin | Removed internal organs, stuffed with cotton | External morphology studies |
| Skeleton | Only bone structures are kept | Skeletal anatomy studies |
| Fluid Preservation | Whole specimen preserved in a fluid | Internal soft tissue studies |
According to the reference, the most common, and perhaps most traditional, way of preparing a bird or mammal specimen for long-term curation is as a study skin where the internal organs, musculature, and most of the skeleton of the specimen have been removed, and the internal body cavity filled with cotton.
