In the 1930s, the Museum began a program called Northern Ohio Fieldwork, which focused upon the mammalian fauna of Ohio and especially northeastern Ohio. After a hiatus of more than 20 years, this effort was resumed in the 1970s, and expanded to include fishes, amphibians, reptiles and crayfishes.
Many of these specimens were collected through surveys and inventories conducted by department staff, students and research associates. Others were vouchered from research projects both within and outside the Museum.
Today, nearly 50,000 catalogued entries comprise the department’s collections, serving as a repository for the vertebrate natural history of Ohio, and northeastern Ohio in particular. Geographic collections from Central and South Americas, and Africa are also represented.
Fish Collection
The fish collection includes 13,700 jars of wet specimens. Emphasis of recent collecting activities and departmental research projects has been northeastern Ohio, but also well represented are collections from southeastern Ohio and Lake Erie by Andrew White and students during the 1970s and 1980s. White was an adjunct curator in the department and a professor of biology at John Carroll University.
Herpetology Collection
The amphibian/reptile collection includes about 13,150 catalogued entries; all are fluid specimens except for about 100 dry turtle shells and reptile skeletons. The emphasis of the collection is on amphibians, reflecting departmental research initiatives and the acquisition of the large R.A. Pfingsten collection of Ohio salamanders.
Mammal Collection
The mammal collection is the largest of the vertebrate zoology collections. It consists of approximately 19,000 specimens, with the focus on study skins with skulls from the Americas. It also includes an osteology section from the Americas and Africa, many including both skull and post-cranial material.
Crayfish Collection
Crayfishes comprise the smallest of the department’s collections, with approximately 1,100 jars, nearly all specimens from Ohio.
Database and Access
Data are digitized and databased for all collections except mammals. Data for the mammal collection are currently being digitized in a project that will continue for some time. The department uses Microsoft Access for its databases.
The collections and their data are used by academic researchers, students, wildlife or resource managers, naturalists and Museum staff. Researchers include not only biologists but physical anthropologists, paleontologists, archeologists, educators and medical researchers.
Access to database information is through department staff only.
With approval of the curator, access to the vertebrate zoology collections is free for non-commercial use by qualified researchers, and to students with declared support from their advisor. Fees are assessed for qualified use by for-profit organizations and individuals.
The collections are available for onsite use by appointment, and in some instances may be available through loan. No bench fees are charged for onsite use; access to microscopes and curatorial supplies is available as needed.
To request access, contact the
curator or assistant curator.
The collections and databases are not open to the public, however the public can request information concerning the collections and data.