FIELD WORK - TEXAS, 2020

In early January 2020, staff from the Field Museum Mammal Department joined forces with staff from Angelo State University to conduct fieldwork in the Lone Star State. Texas fauna are underrepresented at the Field Museum, comprising just 758 specimens (0.3% of the cataloged mammals)—mostly traditional skins and skulls collected pre-1940s. The Trans-Pecos region of Texas hosts 98 documented species of native mammals, but many areas have not been well surveyed. The mammal team targeted these areas to guide a more comprehensive resurvey effort in Presidio County, located along the border with Mexico. The team prepared 108 total specimens over the course of the trip, which included holistic vouchers caught across six trapping nights and various salvages along Texas roadways. The collection was split back at Angelo State, with 79 specimens deposited in the Field, and the remainder staying at the Angelo State Natural History Collection (ASNHC).