The focus of this research group is on the study of living plants, animals, and microorganisms. Its work includes biological surveys of defined geographic areas and ecosystems, phylogenetic (evolutionary) and nomenclatural studies of taxonomic groups, and studies of relationships between organisms and with their environments. In addition, applications are sought to apply research results to solving current environmental problems.

Research Departments

  • White Magnolia drawing

    Botany & Mycology

  • Libinia Emarginata thumbnail

    Decapoda

  • entomology table

    Entomology

  • green frog

    Herpetology

  • Striped bass drawing

    Ichthyology

  • zebra mussel

    Malacology

  • Rabbit drawing

    Mammalogy

  • Bluebird on flowers

    Ornithology

News Articles

Bowfin species: A&B - Amia calva from South Carolina, C - A. ocellicauda from Ontario.

Science Tuesday: "Living Fossils!"

Published December 12, 2022 | Ichthyology

Bowfin fishes are recognized as evolutionary relicts or ‘living fossils’ that historically were distributed worldwide, going back almost 150 million years and living alongside dinosaurs. These fishes retain many of the morphological traits of their fossil ancestors and are found only in the...

DNA Research in Ornithology at the NYSM

Science Tuesday: DNA Research in Ornithology

Published December 12, 2022 | Ornithology

Museum specimens are important sources of DNA, used by researchers to discover the evolutionary relationships among species. NYSM zoology curators save small samples of muscle and other tissues from the specimens they prepare for our collections. The tissue samples from fish, bird, and mammal...

Divers Collecting Tagged Mussels

Science Tuesday: Malacology Fieldwork

Published July 27, 2021 | Malacology

Zebra and quagga mussels can be aggressive invaders of waterbodies and, when they reach high densities, can be devastating to native mussel populations (among other impacts).  Many lakes and rivers that once supported abundant and diverse communities of native mussels have seen declines after...

Tim McCabe, Cicada

What's all the Buzz about?

Published April 19, 2021 | Entomology

Get the official buzz about the emergence of periodical cicadas this summer! In a recent interview with WAMC’s Lucas Willard, Dr. Timothy McCabe, New York’s State Entomologist, discusses the impending appearance of Brood X (10) cicadas after 17 years underground and where New Yorkers might be...

Tagged Mussels

Malacology & Partnerships in Science

Published July 31, 2020 | Malacology

Challenges in science often require solutions from across various disciplines and involve collaborations between diverse agencies. A recent agreement between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and Arconic to protect habitat and freshwater mussels in the Lower...

Long island fish collection example

Researching a Newly Acquired Fish Collection from Long Island

Published February 29, 2016 | Ichthyology

In 2014, the State Museum acquired Dr. Howard Reisman's (emeritus professor at Long Island University) personal collection of fish specimens. The collection has over 2,500 individual specimens, including a substantial number of samples from the marine waters surrounding Long Island.

...

alyssafitzgerald

Student Profile: Museum Fellow Alyssa FitzGerald

Published January 14, 2016 | Ornithology

Alyssa FitzGerald is a Ph.D student at SUNY Albany and works at the Museum to conduct research for her doctoral program. Alyssa's research is focused on studying three closely-related species of thrushes. She wants to know why and how these birds, which look very similar to the untrained...

beaked whale skeleton

Collections News: Beaked Whale Skeleton

Published January 14, 2016 | Mammalogy

A 20-foot long Cuvier's Beaked Whale skeleton was acquired by the State Museum in 2014. Worldwide, there are less than 250 Cuvier's Beaked Whale specimens in collections. These whales, also known as goose-beaked whales, are known to be one of the deepest diving whales. One Cuvier's Beaked Whale...

bird in hand

DNA studies examine the past and future of the birds of New York's Catskills and Adirondacks.

Published July 27, 2015 | Ornithology

Two papers have been published describing ornithological research by NYSM scientists. The papers are based on Ph.D. dissertation work conducted by Dr. Joel Ralston, former University at Albany graduate student, and NYSM Graduate Fellow under the supervision of NYSM Curator of Birds, Dr. Jeremy...