Beaty Treasures

Krill; Euphausiacea; San Lucas, Baja, CA; Collected by M.H.N

"We think of krill as that single pink cloud that moves in balletic undulations across the ocean in nature documentaries, sustenance for some of the largest inhabitants of this earth—baleen whales. But seeing each tiny droplet, with its two black pinprick eyes, lifeless and immobile in a specimen jar, is a very different way to view this keystone species. In an operation inverse but equal to the hi-res images that reveal the billions of stars that make up the Milky Way, it reminds us that 'amorphous' and 'anonymous' are only a matter of perspective (as are their opposites), and that even the tiniest of creatures can make us feel small."

Trilobite family; Redlichiida; 510-560 Ma; Ft. Steele, Cranbrook, BC

"Redlichiida is an order of primitive trilobites appearing in the Lower Cambrian from 542-513 ma. Trilobites reproduced sexually with eggs developing in a brood pouch located on the cephalon (head). Redlichiidae are likely ancestral to all trilobite orders. The specimen was found in the Eager Formation, Burgess Shale."

John Davidson’s field kit; City of Vancouver Archives reference number AM505-S1-: CVA 660-663; 1910; BC; Collected by John Davidson

"The image of John Davidson's field kit is a self-contained and artfully composed process narrative. Looking at the trowel, hand lens, plant press, and other neatly arranged tools, we can easily imagine the botanist meticulously collecting, identifying, and pressing his buttercup for subsequent mounting and cataloging. The result of his diligence is a lovely herbarium specimen, preserved for future study.

Having participated in collection forays with field botanists, I can attest to the fact that the modern-day botanist's field kit has changed very little since Davidson's time. The layperson's field kit I carry when walking through the forest includes a hand lens, knife, jars for dead bugs, and paper lunch bags for collecting edible mushrooms and fern spores (to propagate). I also carry a phone and clip-on macro lens to take photos of plants and other life -- today's responsible collection method for the biologically curious hobbyist.

We all carry a field kit of sorts, and that's what gives this image universal appeal. The first punishment I remember receiving as a child of three or four years old happened because I rummaged through my mother's handbag -- her own urban field kit containing everything she needed for obtaining day-to-day goods and services for her family.

What's in your field kit?"

Man-eating clam; Tridacna gigas; Indo-Pacific; Collected by Killam

"Also known as the giant clam, this great mollusk gained notoriety through myth and legend mercilessly devouring unlucky divers. While today it is considered neither aggressive nor dangerous, its biggest battle is with overfishing as numbers diminish to near-extinct levels. As you marvel over its size and wavy contours, you can’t help but feel a deep and profound respect for the variety and creativity of life that nature has shown us."

Melanotus textilis; 1982; BC; Collected by Paul Kroeger

"Whilst visiting friends atop Mount Warburton Pike on Saturna Island in 1982, I found little mushrooms growing on a rotting woollen carpet heaped in their garden. This carpet at one time was sunk with a boat in False Creek for a month, and after salvage served as an outdoor carpet till decay rendered it more suitable as garden mulch. The same Melanotus species was found on discarded blue-jeans, rolled up work socks, seat covers of abandoned cars, furniture upholstery, old hemp rope and a variety of other man-made fibres so it was given the name Melanotus textilis. The designated TYPE specimen was growing on jute-like fabric of an abandoned chair in woods on the Musqueam Indian Reservation near UBC."

Tegu; Salvator merianae; 1990s; Collected by Bill Milsom

"This specimen is a black and white tegu lizard (Salvator merianae formerly Tupinambis merianae), a species that exhibits a marked circannual cycle of activity that is reflected in their thermal biology. During spring and summer, tegus are active and warm themselves by basking in the sun, retreating to their burrows at night. During most of the autumn and winter, animals retreat completely into burrows where they hibernate without feeding and with minimal activity during the whole season with body temperatures equal to that of the shelter. These lizards can use thermogenesis to sustain an elevated body temperature throughout the reproductive season indicating that ectotherms the size of the earliest mammals are able to engage in a form of reproductive endothermy that may represent the first steps in the evolution of true endothermy.

This specific tegu arrived in Vancouver as a 10 gram baby shortly after hatch. I brought it back from Brazil where colleagues have a breeding colony. It was raised here and as you can see grew prodigiously. If handled regularly they are very tame. If not they can be very nasty. Judging by the jowls, this one was a male and I believe it had been nick-named Marlon after Marlon Brando."

Passenger pigeon; Ectopistes migratorius; ON; Collected by H.J Baker / ROM

"The Beaty Biodiversity Museum has long been favourite for us. My boys like imaging all the ways each creature/organism met it’s death. While that’s a bit macabre, as my mom would say, 'such is life.'

When I was asked to help Beaty celebrate UBC’s 100th birthday, and choose one of 100 'treasures' to write about I knew right away that I had to choose the passenger pigeon.

This past week, we visited the museum to meet the pigeon in person. We were brought into an underground room adjacent to the actual museum, and watched as the pigeon drawer was pulled out. Pigeons (and their wings), some as old as two-hundred years, were laid out in front of us. My kids were treating this occasion as if it’s commonplace for us, which it completely is not. We learned that the passenger pigeon is extinct, and the one we saw was from the 1800’s. My kids even got to touch some of the birds in the drawer — a definite highlight of the day. Read more."

Killam’s typewriter

"Shown above is the latest in retro personal correspondence technology. Considered the antidote to modern day communicatory convenience and the saviour of Wite-Out manufacturers throughout the world, the Brother typewriter produces hard copies of emails once text is manually entered. This machine is also the originator of my personal favourite of the simulacra fonts, “Typewriter,” found in the Microsoft Word programs of today and adopted by millions of high school students attempting to add historical flair to their history essays. With its unique ability to make most correspondence appear written by Hunter S. Thompson after an evening of over-indulgence, the Brother typewriter is a well-used item among modern day scribes residing in their parent’s basements, pool houses, or in Portland."

Red tree coral; Primnoa pacifica; BC

"This picture of the Staghorn Coral brought back wonderful memories of a trip my husband and I took to Australia in 1976. We flew by helicopter from Gladstone over the Great Barrier Reef to Heron Island.

Heron Island is a true coral cay situated in the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef. The World Heritage Listed, Marine National Park is located there. Only thirty acres in size, the Island is surrounded by white sand. At low tide, with the aid of poles, we walked in amongst the beautiful coral to the edge of the island. At high tide we snorkeled around the island and viewed the ocean teeming with colourful tropical fish. We were blessed to have had such a delightful experience.

During our visit we discovered at the research centre that the coral reef was being attacked by Crown Of Thorn Sea Stars which were doing significant damage to the reef. In recent years rising water temperatures and ocean acidification are also damaging coral reefs around the world.

Australia has developed the largest Marine Reserve network in the world.

We hope people will soon learn to respect our oceans and the fascinating creatures like the Staghorn Coral who live there.

Happy birthday, UBC."

Saskatoon serviceberry; Amelanchier alnifolia; 1970; BC; Collected by Nancy Turner

“Looking at this collection from over 40 years ago, I can remember exactly where I made it; I can almost still smell the sagebrush! I was with my friend and teacher, the late Sam Mitchell from Xaxl’ep (Fountain). A speaker of the Stl’atl’imx (St’at’imc) Interior Salish language, Sam was an expert in all aspects of his territory. As part of my doctoral research, he was sharing his amazing knowledge of different varieties of Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier spp.; Klinkenberg 2015) called stsekwum, with me. These included: spekpek, ‘white-white’; swelhkwa7-u7sa7 “red-berry”; stl’exel’us “sweet berry”, stsekwum-ul “real/original saskatoon” and, finally, the one in this collection, nek’nakw’-ukw’sa7 “rotten berry”. Each variety had its own characteristics of growth form, habitat, and taste, colour, seed size and juiciness. This one, he explained, had large seeds and tended to rot quickly, so was not very popular (cf. Turner 1974)

Other Interior Salish First Peoples – and some coastal groups – also recognized multiple varieties of the culturally important fruit. I was so fortunate to have been able to document some of these through collaborative botanical research with my Indigenous colleagues, as a way of highlighting the rich ethnobotanical heritage we have here in British Columbia (cf. Turner 2014).”

Giant Pacific octopus; Enteroctopus dofleini

"You know, it’s a commonly held misbelief that the plural of octopus is octopi. In fact, the plural is octopuses. 'pi' as a suffix is Latin, whilst the root word 'octopus' is Greek. Apparently it’s an etymological taboo to mix the two.

They’re exceedingly graceful, octopuses. I was surprised by this when I timidly held a baby octopus several years ago at the Vancouver Aquarium. Anything with eight legs was far too much like a spider, in my mind. But in reality, this was one of the most delicate, elegant animals I’d ever beheld. At full size, I imagine the Giant Pacific Octopus is like a shy, misunderstood monarch, secretly skirting the underwater walls beneath the Sea to Sky highway."

Sockeye salmon; Oncorhynchus nerka

"In my eyes, there's no animal that says 'British Columbia' more than the salmon. As a supporter of the Pacific Salmon Foundation AND a seasoned sportfisherman I'm passionate about making sure the delicate balance of sustaining this keystone species, while still being able to have some on our collective plates, is maintained. Over the decades the research that's been done in this province and beyond has - and continues to - educate the policy that will hopefully ensure the salmon will be around for generations to come. Looking at this specimen in the collection brings me warm fuzzies every time."

Great green turban; Turbo marmoratus; Indo-Pacific

"Swirls of blue, green and brown twist into a perfect peak

The patterns on the shell call up images of an ocean, both calm and crashing

The shape brings up wistful memories of swimming amid pretty waves and searching for sea creatures with friends"

Great spirit gummy bear; Pseudohydnum gelatinosum; Collected by B Didier

Pseudohydnum gelatinosum is my favourite fungi to encounter on a fall mushroom walk through the lower mainland’s cool, wet, coastal forests. While most other fungi reflect the earthy tones of an autumnal colour palette, Pseudohydnum gelatinosum is devoid of colour, translucent, filled with the soft light of cloudy skies filtered through hemlock needles. When dried, it is a less impressive specimen: a twisted, tanned skin of itself.

It is a jelly fungus, and, when fresh, has the texture and appearance of a lump of unflavoured gelatin. It invites you to touch it, the underside is wet velvet formed of innumerable, soft, spore-bearing teeth. One of its more evocative common names is the “cat’s tongue”. It is also known as the “toothed jelly fungus” or—as I learned from this project—the “great spirit gummy bear”. The specimen is a treasure, but the fresh fungus is a jewel for you to go out and discover: the silent tongues in the forest, the teeth that don’t bite, the mythical candy made of Vancouver rain.

Speckled dace; Rhinichthys osculus 

The 'Speckled Dace' is a small fish that, in Canada, only lives in the Kettle River. There is a major waterfall (Cascade Falls) just before the US border, and the Kettle River above the Cascade is the only place in Canada where you can find the Speckled Dace. It is not a big fish: the adults range from about 50 to 80 mm, and females are consistently larger than males. Breeding begins in mid-July and extends through August. Breeding females are quite drab but the males put on a colourful display. They develop bright red colours on their lower fins and on their lips. Some old timers call them the 'Lip Stick Fish.'”