Research Facilities
Staff
Ornithology
Herpetology
Mammalogy
Ichthyology
Entomology
Malacology
Overview
The Department of Zoology furthers its scientific and educational mission primarily by conducting collections-based research on the animals and ecology of eastern North America, with special emphasis on Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. It maintains research and educational collections of these faunas and acts as an educational resource on zoology and ecological issues to Cincinnati Museum Center and the people and organizations of the Ohio Valley. Significant collections are also held of certain exotic faunas for research and education. The Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System is an affiliated "living collection" and research focus. "EOA" or "The Edge", the largest privately owned protected natural area in Ohio, is situated on the Appalachian Escarpment at the western edge of the Allegheny Plateau and provides critical habitat for some 100 rare species of plants and animals. The department welcomes the use of the collections by visiting scientists or through loans to qualified researchers with an institutional affiliation. Requests to conduct research at EOA should be forwarded to the preserve director.
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Research Facilities
A preparation and study laboratory is equipped with fume hoods, sink/dispose-alls, freezers and supplies for dissection and conservation. The Geier Collections & Research Center also houses a darkroom with standard photographic facilities, a 5,000 plus volume science research library, field lockers, and a complete range of collecting equipment, including field vehicles. The collection is held in a dedicated 2,800 square foot room that is equipped with regulated HV/AC, sprinklers, fire-rated doors, a monitored security system, study desks, and a terminal to the Museum's ARGUS cataloging server. Collection storage includes 10,000 square feet of shelf space and over 10,000 square feet of cabinet storage exclusive of planned expansion space.
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Staff
Chris Bedel
Director of Preserves
Edge of Appalachia
Box 19
Abner Hollow Road
Lynx, OH 45650
Phone: (937) 544-2880
Fax: (937) 544-2188
E-mail: eoa@bright.net
Herman Mays, Ph.D.
Curator of Zoology
Office: Cincinnati Museum Center, Geier Collections & Research Center
1301 Western Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45203
Phone: (513) 455-7163
Fax: (513) 455-7169
Toll-free: (800) 733-2077 x7163
E-mail: hmays@cincymuseum.org
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Section of Ornithology
Collection Holdings:
The Ornithology collection consists of over 20,000 study skins, 2,000 fluid-preserved specimens, 1,000 skeletons, 5,500 frozen tissue samples, 2,000 eggs and 3,300 teaching specimens and mounts. About 1,700 species are represented. Materials date from the early 1800s and include the historical collections of Charles Dury, Frank W. Langdon, Herbert W. Brandt and Ralph Todd Kellogg. It contains important collections from Florida, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Alaska, as well as regional material from the Ohio Valley. Exotic specimens from Europe, South America, Austral-Asia and Africa are also represented. The Brandt collection, in particular, contains one of the world's most extensive series of birds of prey. Endangered and extinct species, such as the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Passenger Pigeon, Carolina Parakeet, and Great Auk are included. Specimens collected during the Philippine Biodiversity Inventory of 1987 to 2001 represent the best-documented material ever obtained from that country.
Ornithology Type Specimens
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Section of Herpetology
Collection Holdings:
The Herpetology collection consists of over 10,000 fluid-preserved specimens, and several hundred skeletons, frozen tissue samples, teaching specimens and mounts. The bulk of this material is of local origin, although some exotics, particularly those resulting from the Philippine Biodiversity Inventory, are held.
Adjunct Staff:
John W. Ferner, PhD., Adjunct Curator of Herpetology
Professor, Department of Biology
Thomas More College
Edgewood, KY 41017
Phone: (859) 344-3374
Fax: (859) 344-3345
E-mail: fernerj@thmoasmore.edu
Jeffrey G. Davis, Research Associate
Phone: (513) 742-6340
E-mail: anura@fuse.net
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Section of Mammalogy
Collection Holdings:
The Mammalogy collection consists of several thousand study skins and skeletons, and several hundred frozen tissue samples, teaching specimens and mounts. The bulk of this material is from local Ohio Valley sources, while Philippine Biodiversity Inventory material and other specimens of foreign origin are again represented.
Mammalogy Type Specimens
Adjunct Staff:
Jerry Warner, PhD., Adjunct Curator of Mammalogy
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY 41076
Phone: (859) 572-5277
Fax: (859) 572-5639
E-mail: warner@nku.edu
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Section of Ichthyology
Collection Holdings:
The Ichthyology collection contains 1,100 fluid-preserved specimens from the Ohio River Valley and several hundred skeletons, mounts and education items. Some of these latter are from foreign sources.
Adjunct Staff:
Jeffrey G. Davis, Research Associate
Phone: (513) 742-6340
E-mail: anura@fuse.net
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Section of Entomology
Collection Holdings:
The Entomological Collection consists of approximately 100,000 specimens of a wide variety of insects. Many of these have been collected in the Tri-State area, but a significant portion of our collection is worldwide in scope. Notable within the section are the 19th century collections of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History, particularly the Coleoptera types of Charles Dury.
Entomology Type Specimens
Adjunct Staff:
Gregory A. Dahlem, PhD., Adjunct Curator of Entomology
Department of Biological Sciences
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY 41076
Phone: (859) 572-6638
Fax: (859) 572-5639
E-mail: dahlem@fuse.net
Gene R. Kritsky, PhD., Adjunct Curator of Entomology
Professor, Biology Department
College of Mount St. Joseph
5701 Delhi Road
Cincinnati, OH 45233
Phone: (513) 224-4891
Fax: (513) 244-4222
E-mail: cdarwin@aol.com
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Section of Malacology
Collection Holdings:
The Malacology collection consists of several hundred thousand marine, fresh water, and terrestrial mollusk shells (16,400 catalogued lots) and other invertebrates. Of note are the historic marine collections of Louis Brand and Thomas Say and various 19th century members of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History. Particularly significant are the large holdings of unionids and pulmonates accumulated by the Cincinnati Society of Natural History, U. P., J. F. James, and especially, Edward Drinker Cope.
Adjunct Staff:
Francisco J. Borrero, Ph.D., Research Associate
Science/Spanish Teacher
Cincinnati Country Day School
6905 Given Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45243
Phone: (513) 368-6515
E-mail: borrerof@countryday.net
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