It has been 100 years since the Biological Survey of Texas was completed. The field work for that survey was conducted from 1895-1898 under the direction of the US Bureau of Biological Survey and was led by Vernon Bailey. Bailey later (1905) published the results of these efforts as "The Biological Survey of Texas." Following the original survey, several investigators have conducted local and regional faunal surveys of various portions of the state of Texas. However, many regions of the state have been ignored or are poorly represented. In 1996, we entered into an agreement with the state of Texas and in particular Texas Parks and Wildlife Department [offsite] to conduct a faunal survey of state-owned properties. These surveys are intended to provide an updated comparison to the biological diversity reported by Bailey at the turn of the century, and to document biological diversity on state-owned properties.

Obviously, many new techniques, technologies, and skills are available to today's biologist. With this in hand and an outlook into the future, we are supplementing the kinds of data collected in the classical survey undertaken by Bailey and his colleagues. For example, a specimen collected under the auspices of the current survey possesses the following kinds of data:

	Voucher Specimen - complete skeleton and skin or fluid preserved;
	Tissues - heart, liver, kidney, muscle, lung and spleen;
	GPS - UTM coordinates for the locality;
	Photographs and field notes corresponding to habitat; and
	Electronic Database - interrelates all levels of data, takes advantage of bar codes and other electronic enhancements to more rapidly and accurately assimilate data, and to interface with GIS technology.

We view these enhancements as crucial in today's ever-changing world. Many of these kinds of data will provide the baseline information for tomorrow's biological questions. For example, voucher specimens will document the current biological diversity and distribution of that diversity. Archived tissue samples will provide a resource for studies of emerging viruses, ecotoxicology, genetic diversity, and systematics. Additionally, we only are now realizing the potential of electronic databases and their ability to assimilate and compile biologically-related information.

Although this project is in its initial states, we have been surprised at the wealth of information collected during the survey process. To illustrate the importance and necessity for such information we have produced a map of the state-owned properties surveyed to date. Also, we have listed the mammalian biological diversity present at each property and have indicated that if knowledge was known to biologists prior to our efforts. It is obvious that despite the efforts of many capable biologists over the last 100 years that we still have much to learn about the biological diversity of the state of Texas.

 

List of Mammals Collected in this Survey:

blue = new record for county,
red = new record for state property,
green = new record for both.

1. Caprock Canyon State Park Plecotus townsendii Tadarida brasiliensis Geomys bursarius Perognathus flavus Chaetodipus hispidus Reithrodontomys fulvescens Reithrodontomys megalotis Reithrodontomys montanus Peromyscus attwateri Peromyscus leucopus Peromyscus maniculatus Peromyscus truei Baiomys taylori Onychomys leucogaster Sigmodon hispidus Neotoma albigula Neotoma micropus 2. Lubbock Lake Landmark State Park Didelphis virginia Sylvilagus audubonii Cratogeomys castanops Chaetodipus hispidus Dipodomys ordii Reithrodontomys megalotis Reithrodontomys fulvescens Reithrodontomys montanus Peromyscus maniculatus Onychomys leucogaster Baiomys taylori Sigmodon hispidus Mus musculus Mephitis mephitis 3. Sierra Diablo WMA Myotis ciliolabrum Sylvilagus audubonii Lepus californicus Ammospermophilus interpres Thomomys bottae Perognathus flavus Reithrodontomys megalotis Peromyscus boylii Peromyscus leucopus Peromyscus pectoralis Onychomys arenicola Neotoma albigula Bassariscus astutus 4. Las Palomas WMA - Ocotillo Unit Myotis californicus Myotis velifer Eptesicus fuscus Tadarida brasiliensis Perognathus merriami Chaetodipus intermedius Chaetodipus penicillatus Dipodomys merriami Reithrodontomys megalotis Peromyscus pectoralis Mephitis mephitis 5. Big Bend Ranch State Park Mormoops megalophylla Myotis californicus Myotis ciliolabrum Myotis thysanodes Myotis velifer Myotis yumanensis Pipistrellus hesperus Pipistrellus subflavus Eptesicus fuscus Lasiurus cinereus Plecotus townsendii Antrozous pallidus Tadarida brasiliensis Nyctinomops macrotis Sylvilagus audubonii Lepus californicus Ammospermophilus interpres Spermophilus spilosoma Spermophilus variegatus Thomomys bottae Cratogeomys castanops Perognathus flavus Chaetodipus eremicus Chaetodipus hispidus Chaetodipus intermedius Chaetodipus nelsoni Dipodomys merriami Reithrodontomys fulvescens Reithrodontomys megalotis Peromyscus eremicus Peromyscus leucopus Peromyscus maniculatus Peromyscus pectoralis Onychomys arenicola Sigmodon hispidus Sigmodon ochragnathus Neotoma albigula Neotoma mexicana Neotoma micropus Canis latrans Urocyon cinereoargentus Bassariscus astutus Procyon lotor Taxidea taxus Mephitis mephitis Conepatus mesoleucus Lynx rufus Tayassu tajacu Odocoileus hemionus

6. South Llano River State Park Dasypus novemcinctus Peromyscus leucopus Sigmodon hispidus Mus musculus Myocastor coypus Mephitis mephitis 7. Walter Buck WMA Peromyscus attwateri Peromyscus leucopus Peromyscus pectoralis Procyon lotor 8. Kerr WMA Didelphis virginiana Myotis velifer Lasiurus borealis Lasiurus cinereus Dasypus novemcinctus Sylvilagus floridanus Lepus californicus Sciurus niger Perognathus merriami Reithrodontomys fulvescens Peromyscus attwateri Peromyscus pectoralis Neotoma albigula Erethizon dorsatum Mephitis mephitis 9. Guadalupe Delta WMA Didelphis virginiana Sylvilagus aquaticus Sylvilagus floridanus Geomys attwateri Oryzomys palustris Reithrodontomys fulvescens Peromyscus leucopus Baiomys taylori Sigmodon hispidus Neotoma micropus Procyon lotor 10. Gene Howe WMA Didelphis virginiana Sylvilagus audubonii Lepus californicus Cynomys ludovicianus Sciurus niger Geomys bursarius Chaetodipus hispidus Dipodomys ordii Reithrodontomys fulvescens Peromyscys leucopus Onchyomys leucogaster Sigomodon hispidus Neotoma micropus Erethizon dorsatum Procyon lotor 11. Richland Creek WMA Lasiurus borealis Nyctecius humeralis Dasypus novemcinctus Reithrodontomys fulvescens Oryzomys palustris Peromyscus maniculatus Peromyscus leucopus Baiomys taylori Sigmodon hispidus Mus musculus Procyon lotor Sus scrofa 12. Gus Engeling WMA Scalopus aquaticus Pipistrellus subflavus Lasiurus borealis Nyctecius humeralis Dasypus novemcinctus Sylvilagus aquaticus Slyvilagus floridanus Sciurus niger Geomys breviceps Chaetodipus hispidus Oryzomys palustris Reithrodontomys fulvescens Peromyscus gossypinus Peromyscus leucopus Baiomys taylori Sigmodon hispidus Neotoma floridana Procyon lotor 13. Peach Point WMA Cryptotis parva Dasypus novemcinctus Sciurus niger Geomys breviceps Oryzomys palustrus Reithrodontomys fulvescens Peromyscus leucopus Baiomys taylori Sigmodon hispidus Neotoma floridana Procyon lotor

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