Museum Specimen Image Archive

Typical photographic views

The image archive currently includes 9183 specimens with photographs of skull material. For most specimens, the photographic series includes dorsal, ventral, and lateral views of the cranium, together with labial and occlusal views of the mandible. Study-skin photographs are also available for 1813 specimens, of which 1350 were photographed with a color reference. 

Download/search the complete archive dataset

Photographed rodent vouchers

This catalogue documents 9183 photographed rodent vouchers representing 545 operational taxonomic units (OTUs; all species except Gerbillus sp. and Gerbilliscus sp., identified only to genus) in 260 genera, 23 families, and 3 suborders from AMNH, FMNH, LCM, MVZ, OMNH, UF, and USNM. Records are organized by suborder, family, genus, taxon or OTU, holding collection, and complete voucher identifier. Taxonomic names have been standardized from those recorded by the museums to follow the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD), version 2.5 (28 July 2026), where applicable.

The archive supports comparative and collaborative research by linking specimen records with measurements, landmark data, and documented analyses. Compatible datasets can be combined across projects for larger studies. Browse the catalogue or contact the lab to discuss data use or collaboration. Photographs may be shared subject to applicable policies of the holding collection.

Browse by family

Supramyomorpha - 8,690 specimens, 502 OTUs, 234 genera

• Calomyscidae - 7 specimens, 2 OTUs, 1 genus

• Cricetidae - 1,237 specimens, 169 OTUs, 97 genera 

• Dipodidae - 532 specimens, 26 OTUs, 12 genera

• Geomyidae - 8 specimens, 2 OTUs, 2 genera

• Heteromyidae - 2,170 specimens, 61 OTUs, 5 genera

• Muridae - 4,343 specimens, 203 OTUs, 87 genera 

• Nesomyidae - 80 specimens, 22 OTUs, 18 genera

• Pedetidae - 4 specimens, 1 OTU, 1 genus

• Platacanthomyidae - 4 specimens, 1 OTU, 1 genus

• Sminthidae - 43 specimens, 4 OTUs, 1 genus

• Spalacidae - 20 specimens, 6 OTUs, 6 genera

• Zapodidae - 242 specimens, 5 OTUs, 3 genera

Sciuromorpha - 412 specimens, 20 OTUs, 11 genera

• Gliridae - 11 specimens, 3 OTUs, 2 genera

• Sciuridae - 401 specimens, 17 OTUs, 9 genera

Hystricomorpha - 81 specimens, 23 OTUs, 15 genera

• Abrocomidae - 4 specimens, 1 OTU, 1 genus

• Bathyergidae - 7 specimens, 2 OTUs, 2 genera

• Caviidae - 12 specimens, 3 OTUs, 2 genera

• Chinchillidae - 8 specimens, 2 OTUs, 2 genera

• Ctenodactylidae - 15 specimens, 5 OTUs, 4 genera

• Ctenomyidae - 11 specimens, 4 OTUs, 1 genus

• Hystricidae - 12 specimens, 3 OTUs, 1 genus

• Octodontidae - 8 specimens, 2 OTUs, 1 genus

• Petromuridae - 4 specimens, 1 OTU, 1 genus

Holding collections

• AMNH - American Museum of Natural History (469 specimens)

• FMNH - Field Museum of Natural History (2715 specimens)

• MVZ - Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (1511 specimens)

• USNM - United States National Museum of Natural History (4288 specimens)

• UF - Florida Museum of Natural History (190 specimens)

• LCM - Laboratorio de Citogenética de Mamíferos, Universidad de Chile (8 specimens)

• OMNH - Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (2 specimens)

Data note

Taxonomic names were standardized against the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD), version 2.5 (28 July 2026), where specimen-level assignment was unambiguous. Museum abbreviations and voucher identifiers follow the source records. This catalogue documents the lab's photographic archive and does not replace the holding museum's current catalogue or specimen determination. Researchers should confirm current taxonomy, identification, and specimen status with the holding collection before publication. 

Two OTUs remain unresolved to species: Gerbilliscus sp. (30 specimens) and Gerbillus sp. (95 specimens). These records are retained at genus level rather than assigned to species.

Contact the lab about a specimen or collaboration