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The Natural Science Collections Facility is a network of South African institutions holding natural science collections, established as part of the Department of Science & Technology’s Research Infrastructure Roadmap and co-ordinated by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Participating institutions are committed to collaborating to achieve the following objectives:
Collections secured and accessible physically and virtually for research
Data from specimens in collections accessible and used for managing collections, research and decision-making
Research on collections and associated data addresses issues of national and global relevance
Collections and associated research provide services to identify natural science specimens for a range of stakeholders including in the agriculture, health, environmental management and academic sectors
Latest News
Webinar recording | Manual Implementation Process
A day in the life…
Here's an opportunity to share with colleagues and members of the NSCF network just how special your work is. How to send your story: Online Follow this link: https://formfaca.de/sm/nMX076dQs or click the green button below Tell us what work you do and include a photo...
Photographic competition | Most interesting specimensn
Categories Funny or funny-looking Ugly Iconic Beautiful Here's how you submit your entries: Send your entries to Fulu at fulufhelo@nscf.org.za Optional: Post your entry on any on your social media pages and tag NSCF: Facebook (@NSCFSA), Twitter (@NSCF_SA) and on...
New species described from South African collections
A new species of tangle-veined fly described.
A new species of tangle-veined fly was described in the journal Zootaxa from the Hantam National Botanical Garden, Nieuwoudtville, Bokkeveld Plateau, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The species is a narrow-range endemic and is restricted to the Nieuwoudtville...
New tanaidacean described
Sinelobus stromatoliticus sp. nov., a tanaidacean (small shrimp-like animal) living within laminated stromatolites along the South African coastline, has been described. A revised key to all the species currently recognised within this genus is also provided. The type...
New bristle worm described from South Africa
A new species of polychaete (bristle worm), Rhynchospio mzansi, was recently described from the south coast of South Africa. The specimens were collected from sediment within the effluent outflow from an abalone farm bear Gansbaai, South Africa. The name of the new...
Iconic specimens
The coelacanth, thought to have gone extinct about 65 million years ago
The coelacanth was known from fossils dating from about 360 years ago.
Use of Collections
Shale Gas Exploration SEA
Barcode of Wildlife Project
Red List Assessments
Virtual Museum
The NSCF aims to increase the accessibility and use of natural science collections for research and also to secure collections.
One mechanism of achieving both these objectives is to establish a “virtual museum” which will take the form of detailed images of important specimens such as types, and to also provide digital access to documents such as historical field notes, old catalogue books and accession registers and other documents related to the collections. Over the next two years we will initiate a project to digitise specimens and important documents and to make these available online. We also aim to show some of the collection store rooms online to provide a sense of the scope and scale of these for the public who rarely have the chance to see these hidden treasures.
