Databases & Research Tools
The entire vertebrate collection is databased and available electronically at as well as VertNet & GBIF. A considerable portion has georeferenced locality information (GIS latitude, longitude) especially specimens from Colorado and in other Rocky Mountain and Plains states.
Each taxon's specimen database can be searched from these links:
Tissues for DNA analyses: none of our historical collections have tissues specifically preserved for DNA. Alcohol-preserved specimens in the fish and herp collections were formalin-fixed before preserved in alcohol; therefore would only be appropriate for molecular methods particular to formalin-preserved tissues. Legacy bird and mammal specimens also do not have tissues specifically preserved for DNA, but do include dried specimen skin, hair, and feathers. New collections (since 2007) by the Vertebrate curator for Rocky Mountain mammals (and some herps) have alcohol-preserved tissues, as well as recently prepared vertebrate specimens from all disciplines (birds, mammals, herps, and fish).
Please see our Destructive and Invasive Sampling Policy for how to request specimen tissues.