![mosasaur fossil](/sites/biodiversity/files/styles/21_9_placeholder_/public/images/2021/34794848424_9e780f94f8_o.jpeg?h=b6b2a568&itok=fR9jcF6Z)
Vertebrate Paleontology
Vertebrate paleontology conducts research, research training and graduate education on the world’s prehistoric vertebrates — their global diversity, phylogeny, macroevolutionary patterns, historical biogeography, morphology, paleoecology and behavior.
![4 vertebrate paleotology researchers](/sites/biodiversity/files/styles/7_5_placeholder_/public/images/34668261830_0af6c3b06f_o.jpg?h=dfba89c9&itok=yvbYKhpS)
Research
Vertebrate Paleontology seeks to reconstruct the history of vertebrate life on Earth. We contribute to this larger scientific effort by conducting original field and laboratory research aimed at discovering and interpreting the fossil record of vertebrates.
FEATURED RESEARCH TOPICS
![Dinosaur tooth in an open hand](/sites/biodiversity/files/images/2022/Burnham%20tooth%20IMG_5180.jpg)
Collections
The Vertebrate Paleontology collection include Paleozoic and Mesozoic fishes, Paleozoic tetrapods, Mesozoic marine vertebrates, Cenozoic small mammals and Natural Trap Cave fauna.
COLLECTION LINKS
![two fossil skulls in a collections drawer](/sites/biodiversity/files/images/2021/35899257812_31d347503f_o.jpeg)