Mammalogy provides access to its collections for researchers and student researchers in mammalogy and in other fields. Researchers can browse the collections electronically at http://manisnet.org/ and visit in person.  Mammalogy participates in the Museum of Natural History’s exhibits programs and will make loans to qualifying institutions.

As a public service, we have assembled a Mammals of Kansas book-length, web-based publication (Timm et al. 2010).  This site includes a wealth of information on the natural history, distribution, and systematics of the native mammals of Kansas, includes numerous original black & white and color photographs, a dichotomous key to all species and a chapter on the physiography of Kansas.  It is available online here.

Mammalogy includes curators, graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and excellent library facilities.  Some of the research collections are in Dyche Hall, but the majority are housed in the Public Safety Building on West Campus.  Because staffing is limited, research visitors are required to call ahead to 785.864.4180.

All first time users of the collection will be provided with instructions on the organization and handling of specimens.

About the Collection

We have extensive historical collections from Central America, Mexico, and southeast, central, western regions of the United States and Alaska.  We recently added outstanding collections from the Philippines and New Guinea.  We anticipate continuing to maintain our strengths in these geographic regions, emphasizing bats, rodents and insectivores—current taxonomic strengths.  Most of our collection consists of nicely prepared skins, skulls, and complete skeletons, with most recent specimens accompanied by tissues.

Type Specimens

There are 135 type specimens in our collection at present.  Of these, the largest number (97) are rodents.  There are also 6 insectivore, 25 bat, 5 lagomorph, and 2 carnivore holotypes.  Lists of the Mammalogy's type specimens have been published by Jones and Genoways (1969) and Jones et al. (1984), although several have been described since.  Types have been described from Barbados, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (14 states), Mozambique, Nicaragua, Philippines, Venezuela, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and from 12 states in the U.S.  All type specimens are kept in the designated "type case" at all times.  The type case is kept locked, and use of type specimens must be arranged with the curators.

Taxonomic listings

There is broad taxonomic coverage, including important holdings of Central and South American marsupials, insectivores, bats, rodents; Holarctic shrews, microtines, squirrels and North American bats, insectivores, carnivores, rodents and lagomorphs.

Strategic goals

The future of mammalogy, in both conservation of biodiversity and systematics, rests on integrating historical material into modern questions and methodologies (especially molecular techniques).  Most new collections will consist of traditional skins and skulls, accompanied by complete skeletons and frozen tissues.  Based on recent experience in joint research trips with other disciplines, an appreciable proportion of our specimens may be prepared in fluid.  We anticipate expanding our frozen tissues beyond those collected along with whole animals to include samples from living animals, perhaps from widely used marking techniques such as toe amputations, ear punches, or tail clips.

We will emphasize extracting historical data from our current specimens while pursuing current lines of questioning regarding mammalian biodiversity and evolution.  For example, currently, Dr. Corey Welch, an NIH funded postdoctoral researcher in mammalogy, is working with our extensive collections from the Pacific Northwest insectivores as well as Central American material, extracting DNA from older study skins for use in his research on molecular systematics and mammalian biogeography.  He is using our rich collections of moles and other insectivores, which are represented by series and broad geographic distribution.

Acquisitions/collection history

The University of Kansas Natural History Museum (KUNHM) houses extremely important systematic research collections and is internationally recognized for its undergraduate and graduate student training, collections care and research productivity.  The mammal collection is one of the world's largest (the fifth largest mammal collection in North America and the second largest university collection in the world).  The most common preparation type is a prepared skin, with the skull cleaned and stored in a separated container (our preparation code is SS).  Second-most common is a skin with the entire skeleton cleaned and stored separately (SB).  Some specimens consist only of a skull (SK) or cranium (CO).  Other specimens may consist of a partial skeleton (PS), an entire skeleton (SN) or only a skin (SO).  Many of our specimens are stored in alcohol (AL), or are in alcohol with the skull removed and cleaned (SA).  Tissues associated with any of these preparation types are noted as a separate field in our database.  Because there are active public education and exhibits programs in the KU Natural History Museum, a few of our specimens are taxidermy mounts (BM) and some are housed permanently on exhibit.  Other preparation types are coded as “other” (OT).  Occasionally, specimens are prepared with the baculum or os clitoris and separately stored in preserving fluid.  Non-standard preparation types and additional materials are noted in a comments field in our database.