Over 1000 vertebrate skeletal specimens comprise the Comparative Faunal Collection at the University of California, Davis. Currently it houses the largest collection of California fish skeletons—a collection that was started by such notable archaeologists as David Thomas and Richard Casteel. However, this collection is primarily the result of over 25 years of effort by Research Associate and fish specialist Dr. Peter Schulz. These specimens include such species at Sacramento Perch (Archeoplites interruptus), Sacramento Sucker (Catostomus occidentalus), and Tui Chub (Gila bicolor).

The current faunal collection contains approximately 700 specimens representing 225 species of fish, 1 specimen of amphibian, 11 specimens representing 7 species of reptile, 103 specimens representing 52 species of bird, 261 specimens representing 65 species of mammal, and an unknown number of invertebrate mollusks that are currently being catalogued (e.g., abalone, chiton, tegula, limpet, olivella).

For a complete listing of collection lots, please download the following documents:

Amphibian & Reptile Catalog

Bird Catalog

Mammal Catalog

If you wish to use the zooarchaeology lab facility please contact Dr. Darwent regarding policies and procedures and to arrange for time and space.

Policies

Ph.D. University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001 (R. Lee Lyman)
M.A. Simon Fraser University, 1995 (Jonathan C. Driver)
B.Sc. University of Calgary, 1992 (Brian P. Kooyman)
Zooarchaeology, vertebrate taphonomy, biogeography, coastal economies, Arctic prehistory (Alaska, Canada, and Greenland), and evolutionary archaeology.
320 Young, 530-752-1590. cmdarwent@ucdavis.edu

Lisa Deitz, Museum Preparator/Research Collections Manager

Management of archaeological and ethnographic research collections.
119 Young, 530-752-8280. lldeitz@ucdavis.edu

Senior Archaeologist, State of California Department of Parks and Recreation.
Zooarchaeology, fish osteology, historical archaeology, California archaeology.
pschu@parks.ca.gov
http://archaeology.parks.ca.gov/