NEWS

Skull of Mobaceras zambeziense in dorsal view (left) and lateral view (right). Museum paleontologist Christian Kammerer has described Mobaceras zambeziense, a new, bizarrely-horned predator from the Permian of Zambia (roughly 260 million years ago). A type of early synapsid (“protomammals” distantly related to modern mammals), Mobaceras was part of the diverse animal fauna that existed… Read More >

By Greg Skupien, Naturalist Center Curator Antlers are one of the most amazing structures in the animal kingdom. All animals in the deer family, Cervidae, have antlers. Typically, only the males possess them. Female Caribou (Reindeer) are an exception, as they sport antlers alongside the males. Antlers are thought to have evolved primarily for intraspecific combat. That… Read More >

By Martha Flanagan, Head of the Living Conservatory and Arthropod Zoo A pair of mating cattleheart butterflies in the Living Conservatory. This week, couples around the world celebrated Valentine’s Day, as did some of our friends who reside in the Museum’s Living Conservatory. Guests have regularly observed butterflies mating in the Conservatory but are often… Read More >

Characterizing the community of a reclaimed tropical forest Squirrel Monkey. Museum ornithologist, Brian O’Shea, and Head of the Biodiversity Research Lab, Roland Kays and colleagues, have published research on the impact of urbanization on mammals in the Neotropics in the journal Tropical Ecology. Read the Article here Museum Ornithologist Brian O’Shea shares some additional information… Read More >

By Jerry Reynolds, Head of Outreach Cranefly Orchids on the winter forest floor. Spring is right around the corner, but there are still plenty of days to enjoy the winter forest landscape.  Now is a great time for a walk in the woods illuminated with full sunlight coming through the mostly leafless forest canopy. Of… Read More >