The first week was dedicated to the extensive mollusc, mammal, and bird collections in MCZ. These specimens comprise some of Singapore’s rich biodiversity, from rare molluscs to resident bird species. Cyclophorus aquilus, a terrestrial snail, is one such specimen that the team imaged. Collected by Hugh Cuming who visited Singapore in 1840, this specimen is now over 180 years old. It is a valuable addition to the SIGNIFY database as it can provide researchers with crucial insights into historical biodiversity.

Marine molluscs such as Vexillum sculptile, commonly known as the carved mitre, were also imaged. This specimen was collected during the United States Exploring Expedition (U.S. Ex. Ex.) (1838–1842) by Charles Pickering, an American naturalist and physician at Harvard, during a stopover in Singapore on 19th February 1842. The U.S. Ex. Ex. was a major exploration effort made by the United States in the 19th century. Spanning four years (1838–1842), over 60,000 plant and animal were collected by the expedition, contributing to much of the 19th century American scientific development. Pickering was one of several American naturalists who were onboard and curated the natural history collections from the expedition. This specimen was one of the type specimens used by the eminent American malacologist (and Harvard alumnus), Augustus Addison Gould, in the description of Mitra cophina. This name is now considered a synonym (a different name for the same species) of Vexillum sculptile.

MCZ also houses an extensive ornithology collection. Within this collection was a specimen of Todiramphus chloris humii (collared kingfisher), which was opportunistically collected when it flew on board the S.S. Rhexenor—a steamship transporting goods and passengers. Originally named Halcyon chloris humii. This is an example of how the information on specimen labels can provide some context to the collection event itself.

In the fourth week, the team moved to the herpetology department—home to the amphibians and reptile specimens. One specimen stood out among the rest: Kaloula pulchra, commonly known as the banded bullfrog. This species is now a common sight in Singapore, having been introduced in the 1880s. Apart from fluid-preserved specimens, the collection also housed some skeleton examples of the species. The preserved specimen was collected by John Coney Moulton, the director of the Raffles Library and Museum (RLM) during the early 1920s. The natural history specimens from the RLM form the core (and oldest) collections of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) at the National University of Singapore, which is also the home of SIGNIFY. This means that there is a historical link between MCZ, LKCNHM and SIGNIFY that goes back a long way!

The team rounded up the trip with a last stop at the Ichthyology department. The team digitised a juvenile specimen of Rhizoprionodon oligolinx (grey sharp-nose shark). Singapore’s waters is home to 13 shark species at present, seven of which are critically endangered. The Rhizoprionodon oligolinx is currently also listed as near threatened by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, making this specimen particularly valuable.