Vertebrates

Utah is home to some amazing vertebrates, from the scrub jay outside your window to the moose up in the mountains. This section is a celebration of all these furry, feathery, and scaly neighbors. Check out some virtual skull cans, explore the meaning of what a species is, and more in our vertebrate collection.

GET CURIOUS

Watch as Museum Member and actor Ty Burrell takes us behind the scenes in the Museum’s Vertebrates collections and Dr. Jason Cryan hosts a conversation with Museum scientists.

IMAGES FROM THE VERTEBRATES COLLECTION

Have a gander at our amazing vertebrate zoology collection through 10 photos!

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Peromyscus maniulatus—deer mouse (Mamm:9474)

The deer mouse is the most common and widespread rodent in North America. It is also the reservoir host for a strain of hantavirus called sin nombre virus. In the 1990s, many people in the Four Corners area of the American Southwest were contracting hantavirus and scientists couldn’t find out why. Eventually, researchers were able to piece together that it was because humans were coming in contact with the droppings of infected mice when they were trying to clean up after them. Scientists were able to figure this out by tracking animal specimens located in museum collections. Through this research, they could track how long the virus had been in this mouse population and where the hotspots were. Tracking the spread of disease and change in populations is one of the reasons that museums need large collections of common species.

Neotoma stephensi—Stephen’s woodrat (Mamm:43748)

This woodrat species, commonly known as a packrat, is a critter that mostly makes its home down in Arizona and New Mexico and occasionally in southeastern Utah. This little mammal is an example of the ways that creatures have special adaptations that help them survive in otherwise extreme environments. These woodrats are juniper specialists, meaning they eat juniper and use it to make their nests, also known as middens. Juniper has a lot of toxic compounds in its leaves, and most animals leave it alone. However, this species eats it almost exclusively. They have special guy microbes that help them break down all of the toxic materials in the plant.

Neotoma stephensi—Stephen’s woodrat (Mamm:43748)

This woodrat species, commonly known as a packrat, is a critter that mostly makes its home down in Arizona and New Mexico and occasionally in southeastern Utah. This little mammal is an example of the ways that creatures have special adaptations that help them survive in otherwise extreme environments. These woodrats are juniper specialists, meaning they eat juniper and use it to make their nests, also known as middens. Juniper has a lot of toxic compounds in its leaves, and most animals leave it alone. However, this species eats it almost exclusively. They have special guy microbes that help them break down all of the toxic materials in the plant.

Mustela frenata—long tailed weasel (Mamm:28579)

This long-tailed weasel is common in the forests of North America and mountains of South America. They are perfectly adapted to snowy environments. In the summer they grow a brown fur, which molts in the fall into a pure white coat to better camouflage in with the snow. This process reverses in the spring so that they can better blend in with the forest floor. Most of the long-tailed weasels running around the mountains currently will look like the weasel in this photo. This particular weasel was caught right here in Salt Lake City, UT in November 2019, showing that sometimes we do not have to go very far at all to get our specimens to study.

Sorex navigator—water shrew (Mamm:39966)

This little mammal looks like a rodent, but actually belongs to a group of mammals called Eulipotyphla, an insectivorous (eats insects) group of animals that includes moles and hedgehogs. While most shrews in North America are roughly the size of an adult human’s pinky, water shrews are much larger (roughly 5-6.7 inches long). These little creatures have so many interesting adaptations that help them survive their semi-aquatic lifestyle. They are, as the name suggests, great swimmers, with stiff hairs on their toes locking together to form a paddle on their feet. Additionally, they are bi-colored, with lighter colors on their stomachs, and darker-colored fur on their backs helping. This color helps them camouflage while they are swimming.

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum—greater horseshoe bat (Mamm:28520)

This small mammal is the horseshoe bat—so named because its nose leaf (a facial ornament that helps it echolocate) looks like a horseshoe. They are an incredibly common species, living throughout Europe and Asia. Many scientists are particularly interested in the greater horseshoe bat right now because it potentially was the source of the coronavirus driving the current COVID-19 pandemic. This species of bat is known to carry many different types of coronaviruses. However, we do not know for sure, as there are few bat specimens from China in museums everywhere to study the spread of diseases through the species’ populations.

Colaptes auratus—northern flicker (Bird:18589)

The northern flicker is a species of bird with a few sub-species. In the West and Midwest, there is the red-shafted flicker that lives west of the Rocky Mountains and there is a yellow-shafted flicker that lives east of the Rocky Mountains. These are functionally the same bird, just with coloring differences, as noted by their names. When these two populations come together, they interbreed and create birds with intermediate colors. This northern flicker from our collection mostly has red tail and wing feathers, but a single yellow tail feather shows its mixed parentage.

Chelodina oblonga—northern snake-necked turtle (Herp:14724)

The Natural History Museum of Utah’s Herptile (reptiles and amphibian) Collection features one of the largest collections of turtle specimens in North America. One of the standouts of this collection is the northern snake turtle. This long-necked species is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. This carnivorous turtle gets its name from its incredibly long neck, which helps it catch small fish, tadpoles, hatchling turtles, and insects. Unlike a lot of turtles, which pull their heads back into their shell, this species wraps its neck around itself and tucks its head into its side to protect itself from predators.

Chelodina oblonga—northern snake-necked turtle (Herp:14724)

The Natural History Museum of Utah’s Herptile (reptiles and amphibian) Collection features one of the largest collections of turtle specimens in North America. One of the standouts of this collection is the northern snake turtle. This long-necked species is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. This carnivorous turtle gets its name from its incredibly long neck, which helps it catch small fish, tadpoles, hatchling turtles, and insects. Unlike a lot of turtles, which pull their heads back into their shell, this species wraps its neck around itself and tucks its head into its side to protect itself from predators.

Marmosa Mexicana—mouse opossum (Mamm:2562)

While ninety percent of the Natural History Museum of Utah’s Mammal Collection comes from Utah and the neighboring western states, it does feature organisms from all over the world. Take this mouse opossum native to Central America. This animal is a marsupial, meaning they have a pouch to hold their young in the way that kangaroos and koalas. The mouse opossum lives in trees, and has an opposable big toe and long tail for balancing and grasping onto branches like a monkey. The museum holds global collections because one of their purposes is being a center of academic research.

Marmosa Mexicana—mouse opossum (Mamm:2562)

While ninety percent of the Natural History Museum of Utah’s Mammal Collection comes from Utah and the neighboring western states, it does feature organisms from all over the world. Take this mouse opossum native to Central America. This animal is a marsupial, meaning they have a pouch to hold their young in the way that kangaroos and koalas. The mouse opossum lives in trees, and has an opposable big toe and long tail for balancing and grasping onto branches like a monkey. The museum holds global collections because one of their purposes is being a center of academic research.

Cyanocitta stelleri—Stellar’s jay (Bird:429)

This beautiful bird isn’t particularly rare—in fact this species is quite abundant in Utah. However, this Stellar’s jay (Bird: 429) is special because it’s one of the oldest bird specimens that we have here in the museum. It was collected in 1885 in Salt Lake City, UT. When we have old specimens like this, we can compare them to modern populations and track how the species has changed in one area over time.

Bombycilla garrulus—Bohemian wax-wing (Bird:14450)

Utah is the seasonal home for millions upon millions of migratory birds who stop in the Great Salt Lake, the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, and other areas around the state on their journeys between the north and the south. This Bohemian wax-wing (Bird: 1450) is one of those. They typically live in Utah during the winter before making their way to their summer homes up north. They are frugivores, meaning they only eat fruit. When they overindulge in rotting, fermented fruit they can be intoxicated.

Bombycilla garrulus—Bohemian wax-wing (Bird:14450)

Utah is the seasonal home for millions upon millions of migratory birds who stop in the Great Salt Lake, the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, and other areas around the state on their journeys between the north and the south. This Bohemian wax-wing (Bird: 1450) is one of those. They typically live in Utah during the winter before making their way to their summer homes up north. They are frugivores, meaning they only eat fruit. When they overindulge in rotting, fermented fruit they can be intoxicated.

Bombycilla garrulus—Bohemian wax-wing (Bird:14450)

Utah is the seasonal home for millions upon millions of migratory birds who stop in the Great Salt Lake, the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, and other areas around the state on their journeys between the north and the south. This Bohemian wax-wing (Bird: 1450) is one of those. They typically live in Utah during the winter before making their way to their summer homes up north. They are frugivores, meaning they only eat fruit. When they overindulge in rotting, fermented fruit they can be intoxicated.

VERTEBRATES STORIES

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Behind the Scenes: What is a Species?

The question of what distinguishes one species from another is a complex puzzle.

A Fuzzy Invader—Fox Squirrels in Utah

After introduction to the West over a century ago, fox squirrels have finally made their way to Utah.

Why Oceanic Islands Fascinate Us – Luzon Island, Part I

Along with his American and Filipino colleagues, Eric Rickart, our Curator of Vertebrate Zoology, has scoured the Philippine island of Luzon for 30 years, discovering more endemic species of mammals than anyone could have imagined.

3D MODELS FROM THE VERTEBRATES COLLECTION

Comparing items can tell us a lot about different people at different times. Take a closer look at these collection items to see how they’re all made in different ways! Please allow a few moments for the 3D content to load.

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Take a spin with our 3D model of a duck skull.

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A heron skull really stands out. See how it differs from our duck model.

VERTEBRATE VIDEOS

Utah boasts many different squirrel species. Curator Eric Rickart will introduce you to a few.

Every curator has their favorite specimens. Curator Eric Rickart will show you some of his!

Study skins are a very important part of zoology collections. Here’s how they’re made.

SCIENTISTS AT WORK

Follow some Museum zoologists in the field and the lab in our photo gallery.

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Photo Credit: Katrina Derieg
This bat is the pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus) which was caught in a mist net in southern New Mexico. This was one of the many bat species caught on that field trip. These bats are insectivorous and are big enough to eat centipedes and scorpions.

Photo Credit: Katrina Derieg
This bat is Allen’s big-eared bat (Idionycteris phyllotis) which was caught in a mist net in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico. This species has massive ears which it uses for navigating by echolocation. This species is commonly found in mountains environments.

Photo Credit: Katrina Derieg

To catch ground-dwelling rodents, there are multiple trap types. The trap shown here is called a Sherman trap which is a metal box that the animal enters and a door closes. It is important to find good habitat and signs of animal activity when deciding where to set a trap.

Photo Credit: Katrina Derieg
This photo was taken in the Chiriqui province of Panama. I was working with the Gorgas Institute surveying small mammal populations for disease screening. After catching animals, we set up a lab work station for prepare the animals as specimens. We take tissue samples (internal organs) and freeze them. These tissues can be used for extracting DNA and screening for diseases.

Photo Credit: Eric Rickart, NHMU Vertebrate Zoology-Curator

Featuring Eric Rickart (far left) and the Snake Range Mammal Survey Field Team
With approximately 35,000 specimens, the Museum's mammal collection is one of the largest in western North America.

Photo Credit: Jeremiah Watt

NHMU Curator, Eric Rickart, holds a Preble's shrew (Sorex preblei).This small mammal lives across the Great Basin of the United States.

Photo Credit: Jeremiah Watt

Eric Rickart, NHMU Vertebrate Zoology-Curator, field work

Eric Rickart has devoted more than 30 years studying mammals, both regionally and globally. Here in Utah, Eric's research in the Great Basin uses historical data from museum collections together with modern field surveys to document faunal change over the past century. This project, funded by the National Science Foundation and developed in collaboration with Dr. Rebecca Rowe (University of New Hampshire), is revealing how regional climate change and human land use have interacted to produce observed changes in natural communities. Another ongoing project with Dr. William Newmark (NHMU Research Associate) focuses on factors affecting movement patterns and population health of mule deer along the Wasatch Front.

Now that you’ve seen some vertebrates, it’s time to bone up on paleontology!