MVZ scientists have described over 100 of the 738 salamander species using our very own collections! Today, our amphibian collection helps us answer questions about speciation, toxicology, and biogeography!

Despite being so diverse, all fish are aquatic, breathe through gills, have fins, and lack limbs with fingers or toes🤚🏽

At the MVZ, our ichthyology (the study of fish) research focuses on genomics, morphology, and systematics, all supported by our growing collections!🎣

There are five major groups of vertebrates: fish🐠, amphibians🐸, reptiles🐊, birds🦆, and mammals🐿️ These groups represent some of the most diverse and successful animals on Earth, and are the focus of everything we study at the MVZ!
#naturalhistorymuseum #vertebrate #stemeducation #biology #research

Our collections are actively growing and play a key role in research on the evolution, ecology, and conservation of our Earth's vertebrates🌎🔬

Follow along as we give you a behind-the-scenes look at some of the MVZ's most jaw-dropping, unique, and inspiring organisms!

MVZ Professor Jim McGuire and Former MVZ Postdoc Simon Scarpetta find that Fiji iguanas are most closely related to the North American desert iguana — evidence of the longest known transoceanic dispersal of any land animal. bit.ly/3DMIAUD

#calbiggive meet Sylvia Durkin, “I have learned so much about Natural History from MVZ professors and my peers. I have a much deeper appreciation for the work I do knowing more about how the organisms we study fit into their wider ecological and evolutionary context.” mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/

For #calbiggive graduate studentAnaid Cárdenas-Navarrete, who grew up in Mexico City, shares when she knew she wanted to be a scientist. To support the @mvzucberkeley and students like Anaid visit mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/

For #calbiggive learn about Staff Researcher Ammon Corl “I get to work with scientists at the forefront of their fields. The strong spirit of collaborative research allows everyone to figure out more than had they worked alone.” Support the MVZ at mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/

For #calbiggive we are sharing profiles of graduate students like PhD Candidate Emily Bogner who knew she wanted to be a scientist after watching Jurassic Park, “I thought it was so cool you could dig in the dirt and find remains from animals that are no longer alive.”  mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/

For #calbiggive we are excited to share profiles of graduate students like PhD Candidate David Tian who says the best thing about working in the MVZ is, “the diversity of organisms, locations, and questions that MVZ members investigate.” To support the MVZ visit mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/

As part of #calbiggive @mvzucberkeley is excited to share profiles of students like Lizi Nichols who knew she wanted to be scientist the first time she went to the Monterey Bay aquarium. To support the @mvzucberkeley and students like Lizi visit mvz.berkeley.edu/supportmvz/

For the past few weeks, the MVZ has hosted “Drawing Life after Death,” an informal gathering of MVZ students. Organizers of the event, Kannon Pearson, Isaac Linn and Shelby Medina were inspired by a desire to become more acquainted with the museum’s collections outside of their own specialties.

Join the MVZ community for March Mammal Madness! A fun and friendly competition hosted by Arizona State University celebrating the diversity of vertebrates! If you are interested in playing, send us a direct message and we will reply with the information needed to get started!

Students Capture Elusive Mount Lyell Shrew on Film! UCB students Vishal Subramanyan and Prakirk Jain, with the help of MVZ Curators, obtained permits and trapping supplies and went to the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains where they captured 15 shrews on film. bit.ly/415DPOP