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Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

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Age/Stage (Specimen/Description)

Field to be used with an authority listField used for natural science collectionsSociété des musées québécois Info-Muse database field

Definition:

  • This field contains a term describing the age or the stage in the development or life cycle of the specimen.

Observation:

  • For better search results in your database, avoid a large variety of terms; draw up an authority list and add keywords as necessary. You can use this authority list, adopted by the members of the CHIN natural science working group:

    adult juvenile undetermined
    ammocoete larva unknown
    cyst neonate vesicle
    egg newborn yearling
    embryo polyp young
    immature subadult  

Entry rules:

  1. Enter the full term describing the developmental stage of the specimen; do not use abbreviations.
    Example

      Discipline mammalogy
     GenusPeromyscus
      Speciesmaniculatus
    Age/Stage undetermined
  2. You can enter more specific data on the age of the specimen after the keyword. Enter the keyword, followed by a space and the information in parentheses.
    Example

      Discipline mammalogy
     Genus Odocoileus
      Species hemionus
    Age/Stageimmature (6 months)
  3. This field may contain multiple entries separated by a semicolon followed by a space.
    Example

      Disciplineornithology
     GenusCircus
      Speciescyaneus
    Age/Stage young; yearling
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