Procedures for using the COSS/Brasil material
Scientific material consultation
The Collection’s archive may be consulted by registered users upon request and previous schedule by submitting a consultation form to the collection.
The consultation is available to researchers, undergraduate and graduate students whenever authorized by their supervisors.
Material lending
Conditions
The material lending is available to researchers affiliated to universities, museums and other research institutions upon completing and submitting a lending application form. The user will be entirely responsible for it and must sign a term of responsibility.
For undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students, the material is available on behalf of their advisors/supervisors.
The use of otoliths is allowed to users who do not have any pending item from the collection. For those who are in debt, new requests can only be made after rectifying the failure.
In general, no more than 30% of otoliths from each species can be borrowed. Special conditions will be analyzed by the person responsible by the collection.
In special cases, whenever duly authorized by the person responsible and if the amount of otoliths will be sufficient, they will be processed or undergo some type of intervention (e.g., cutting, burning, chemical analysis). In any event, the material must be returned to the collection.
Delicate, rare specimens or unique example of any species must be consulted with the LABIC or be sent by photographs to the researcher.
The shipping and return costs of the material will be under the sole responsibility of the user. In such cases, it will be required to perform a deposit for the shipping costs (via banking payment) PREVIOUS to the remittance of the material. The amount of such deposit will be estimated case by case by taking into account the volume of the material and the destination.
Return of otoliths
The scientific material should be maintained and returned to the LABIC in the same condition as they were sent. The identification inserted into the micro tubes must be maintained and returned exactly as they were sent. In case of damage or loss, the user will have no longer access to the collection and the registration will be canceled.
The material sent must be returned according to the date scheduled, as presented in the Remittance Letter, which will be sent annexed to the otoliths. Extension requests have to be submitted 10 days before the final date scheduled for the returning.
Upon the returning of the otoliths, the outer package must contain a label containing the remark "preserved scientific material - no commercial value".
The package should mandatorily be sent registered with a tracking number. The tracking number must be communicated via e-mail to the person responsible by the collection to allow the online follow-up.
Publications originated with otoliths from the collection
All publications involving otoliths or data from the COSS-Brasil must contain its reference, as follows: Collection of Otoliths of Marine Fishes from the Southeastern-Southern of Brazil (COSS-Brasil).
A copy of the publication must be sent as a PDF archive to the person responsible by the collection. If authorized by the authors, the article will be available on the COSS-Brasil website.
To access the material lending form you must be registered on the site. Click here to download the Term of responsibility.
Material deposit / donation
The deposit of otoliths from other projects will be welcome.
In order to make a deposit in the COSS-Brasil, it must be sent to the person responsible by the collection with a form (collection and biological data sheet) to the e-mail (cossbrasil@gmail.com). It must be noted that the yellow headers indicate mandatory fields.
Data sheet should be as complete as possible, always following the indicated pattern.
The material submitted to be part of the COSS-Brasil should be in good conditions. LABIC reserves its right to refuse inappropriate materials and/or preparations.
Exchange of otoliths
LABIC maintains exchange programs with different national or international research institutions. For exchanging of material, the applicant has to consult the person responsible by the collection via e-mail (cossbrasil@gmail.com).