HOME / RESEARCH /

Vertebrate Paleontology

The Vertebrate Paleontology collection houses fossil fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

  • Notaelurodon kitchingi Broom 1936, Permian Period, Cistecephalus Zone, Beaufort Series, Karoo Basin, Murrysburg District, South Africa, MCZ 8960

    Notaelurodon kitchingi Broom 1936

    Permian Period, Cistecephalus Zone, Beaufort Series, Karoo Basin, Murrysburg District, South

  • Lates gracilis Agassiz, Upper Eocene Period, Mt. Bolca, Near Verona, Italy, MCZ 5368

    Lates gracilis Agassiz

    Upper Eocene Period, Mt. Bolca, Near Verona, Italy, MCZ 5368

  • Buettnaria perfecta bone bed, Upper Triassic, MCZ 1674

    Buettnaria perfecta bone bed

    Upper Triassic, MCZ 1674

  • Hesperocyon gregarius Middle oligocene Period, Lower Brule Formation, Converse County, Wyoming, MCZ 3667

    Hesperocyon gregarius

    Middle oligocene Period, Lower Brule Formation, Converse County, Wyoming, MCZ 3667

  • Secodontosaurus obtusidens, first discovered skull of this genus, Permo-Carboniferous Period, Wichita Group, Aarcher Co., Texas, MCZ 1124

    Secodontosaurus obtusidens

    first discovered skull of this genus, Permo-Carboniferous Period, Wichita Group, Aarcher Co., Texas,

  • History

    The Vertebrate Paleontology Collection in the Museum of Comparative Zoology is managed and employed as a resource for research and teaching in the areas of vertebrate evolution, functional anatomy and systematics. Since its founding in 1859, the MCZ has amassed approximately 90,000 specimens of fossil fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Past Curators include: Charles E. Hamlin (Assistant) (1880-1886), Alpheus Hyatt (Assistant) (1886-1889), Charles Rochester Eastman (Assistant staring in 1894)(1896-1910), Alfred Sherwood Romer (1934-1963), Bryan Patterson (1963-1970) ...

    Read more about History

Questions?