The Florida Museum’s Vertebrate Paleontology collections provide the most complete basis available for study of Cenozoic vertebrate life and evolution in the eastern United States and the circum-Caribbean Basin area.
Combined, the five separate collections total about 850,000 specimens, of which more than 560,000 are catalogued and on a searchable online database. Holotypes number about 245 specimens. Learn more about the collections…
Volunteer Dig at Montbrook Fossil Site–Cancelled!
The Spring 2020 volunteer dig has been cancelled. More information and how to apply.
Special Message for Visiting Researchers
Until further notice, starting 3/16/2020 visitors are not allowed in the collection. This is a university-wide policy. If you have arranged a visit to the Vertebrate Paleontology collection between March and August of 2020, please reschedule. It is not known at this time when this restriction to access will be lifted. Because of this, we will be glad to loan specimens to researchers whenever possible.
All About Montbrook
For the latest news about the Montbrook fossil site, about both the field and the museum collection, check out the Montbrook Fossil Dig blog.
Recent Research News From Our Collections
Austin, Bullen 2020 student research award winners named
The Florida Museum of Natural History and Florida Museum University Teaching Committee recently announced the winners of the 2020 Austin…
Coquí fossil from Puerto Rico takes title of oldest Caribbean frog
The bright chirp of the coquí frog, the national symbol of Puerto Rico, has likely resounded through Caribbean forests for…
Are shark teeth fossils true fossils?
We get questions like this a lot. This question came by tweet. We turned to Richard Hulbert, Florida Museum’s vertebrate…
Alachua County bans fossil collecting in Gainesville creeks
On August 12, 2019 Alachua County issued a press release stating that digging for fossils is prohibited in creeks within the boundaries of the county, which includes the well known fossil-rich Gainesville Creeks. Residents of Alachua County are welcome to contact their county commissioner to voice support or opposition to this ruling.
Encyclopedia of Fossil Vertebrates of Florida
New additions to the species accounts are the rhino Teleoceras proterum, the vampire bat Desmodus stocki, and the muskrat Neofiber alleni. New additions to the descriptions of fossil sites are Gunn Farm Mine, Ichetucknee River, and the Montbrook Site. Let us know if there are any special species or fossil sites you want us to add.