Mammalogy (BIOL 4174)

Mammals are one of the most impressive land vertebrate radiations. From simple beginnings as small, nocturnal ancestors that diversified in the shadows of dinosaurs, mammals have evolved into a wide array of forms. From the gargantuan blue whale to agile monkeys, mammals have conquered almost all environments, developing different adaptations and strategies to cope with multiple challenges. In the Mammalogy course at Oklahoma State University, you will learn about mammalian diversity, physiology, and adaptations. During our labs, you will handle actual museum specimens and learn to identify species from multiple groups.

This course is offered every Fall.

Practicum in Natural History Collection (BIOL 4700)

This course provides experience in day-to-day activity and curatorial practices of a research-focused zoological collection, the Collection of Vertebrates (COV). The COV contains a large sample of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. By taking part in this course, you will get acquainted with a wide array of specimen preservation techniques, such as scientific taxidermy and whole specimen preservation. Furthermore, you will develop organizational skills to handle large specimen databases and general practices in specimen identification.

This course is offered every semester, including Summer.

Research in Zoological Collections (BIOL 4730)

This course provides experience in research focused on zoological specimens. You will be given the opportunity to join multiple projects being developed at the Machado lab, focused on studies of morphological variation and evolution. During this course, you will get acquainted with general practices in specimen handling, data gathering, tabling and analysis. Focus will be given to scientific good practices and data quality.

This course is offered every Spring.