MSB Fish Collection (Arctos)

The MSB Division of Fishes supports research of the ichthyofauna of a region in North America noted for a wide range of ecotypes and elevational gradients, from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Basin and the Great Plains, with the convergence of three major deserts, the Chihuahua, Sonora, and Mojave. The fishes of New Mexico (and the southwestern US) are characterized by high endemism, low diversity, and remarkable physiological tolerances. The MSB collections are particularly valuable because aquatic habitats in the region are declining as demands on water increase due to human population growth and global climate changes. The MSB collections of fishes provides a 80-year window on the natural history of New Mexico's imperiled native fishes and aquatic systems. The MSB has over 100,000 cataloged lots of fishes (ca. 4,153,582 specimens),representing 66 families, 200 genera, and 443 species. Approximately 1/3 of the collection consists of fish eggs and larvae as part of ongoing river monitoring programs and life history studies in desert fishes.