The Mammal Identification Service (MIS) was established in 1966. It was located in the Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, and supported jointly by the Smithsonian and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Charles O. Handley, Curator in the Division of Mammals, was Principal Investigator of the project. Gary L. Ranck was appointed Curator of MIS in 1966. Ranck resigned the following year and was replaced by Ronald Herbert Pine, who served until 1973. The MIS was terminated in 1974 when NIH support ceased.
The primary purpose of MIS was to provide rapid identifications of mammals for medical and epidemiological purposes. In addition to providing identifications, MIS published manuals on the classification and identification of mammals and trained paramedical workers in techniques for the collection and field preservation of specimens.
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Agency History. Record 218087
