Oregon State Ichthyology Collection

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Corvallis, OR
Oregon State Ichthyology Collection

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The fish collection of Oregon State University containing everything from Tui chub, rockfish and sal

Containing approximately a quarter million preserved specimens of fishes, as well as associated genetic resources, the OSIC is a biodiversity library focused on documenting, understanding and protecting the fishes of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The OSIC supports research on macroevolution, taxonomy, biogeography, genetics, evolution, conservation, anatomy and ecology, loans specimens to researchers inside and outside Oregon, engages students in classes on ichthyology and fish systematics, supports undergraduate experiential learning and credit, and hosts school groups for hands-on educational activities using an extensive teaching collection.

09/22/2026

The OSIC Summer Newsletter is here!

Catch up on everything from last season including work from the field, extensive outreach efforts, and Fin & Form Lab and OSIC projects. Follow our Linktree (in bio) to read it and to see more photos from these events!

Looking forward to connecting more this fall!

07/30/2026

🦈 Sharks of the Oregon Coast!

Did you know that several species of sharks call Oregon's coastal waters home? While some spend their lives near shore and others roam the open ocean, each plays an important role in our marine ecosystems.

Today, we're featuring a few sharks from the collection that are found off the Oregon coast -- from bottom-dwelling species to powerful open-ocean predators.

Which one is your favorite?

07/28/2026

🦈 We're celebrating Shark Week at the OSIC!

Today, we're highlighting a few of the incredible shark specimens preserved in the OSIC and the amazing adaptations that make each species unique.

Our collection includes 17 shark families, 53 species, and nearly 134 catalog lots, including whole specimens, preserved jaws, and even shark egg cases ("mermaid's purses"). These specimens support research, education, and help preserve a record of Earth's biodiversity for future generations.

Have a favorite shark? Let us know in the comments, and we'll see if we have it in the collection! 🦈 You can see our complete holdings via the link in our bio.

07/20/2026

Exciting stuff happening the last two weeks, including the 2026 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH)!🐟🦎

At the conference, grad students Emma Bell and Roman Ferraro, shared progress on their graduate projects, and Mike gave a great talk on Neotropical fishes! We enjoyed connecting with colleagues, learning about exciting new research, and representing OSU Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, the , and the .

A special congratulations to Emma Bell on receiving the 2026 Raney Fund Award! This grant will help Emma obtain some much needed specimens and data! We're incredibly proud of all of our presenters and their contributions to the fish and museum collection community.

07/06/2026

🐟Field season is in full swing!

We've been out sampling fishes across Oregon to support ongoing research, biodiversity documentation, and collection growth.

This summer, we're excited to have OSU Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences VIEW Fellowship student, Kengi Cha joining us for his first undergraduate research project alongside graduate student and collaborator Emma Bell. Together, they're gaining hands-on experience with fish sampling, identification, and scientific collections while contributing to research on Oregon's native fishes.

We're looking forward to sharing more from the field throughout the summer!

Image/video credit: Emma Bell & Alvaro Cortes

06/12/2026

🎉Congratulations class of 2026! We wish you all the absolute best in your next adventure!

06/02/2026

34 Students in FW 316 (Systematics of Fishes) visited the Willamette River last Friday to gain hands-on experience with fish sampling and identification techniques.

Field trips like these provide valuable opportunities to connect classroom concepts with real-world applications while exploring the diversity of fishes found in Oregon's waterways. Students also met and learned valuable skills from some amazing USFWS and ODFW biologists during this trip!

Many thanks to the professional staff and volunteers who made this trip possible!

05/29/2026

Shout out to Carol Mc Kiel from College of Science, Oregon State University for all of her wonderful outreach! Check out those fishes from the OSIC staged for today’s Oregon Charter Schools conference!

Carol's winter and early spring term outreach activities incorporated specimens from the OSU Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences's OSIC and Wildlife Collections. Since January, Carol has connected these specimens with approximately 490 K–12 and prospective college students through 8 events and 11 presentations across Oregon. These programs promoted interest in science, biodiversity, and STEM careers through hands-on engagement, and we're grateful that Carol has been able to include them in the program!

05/18/2026

The Spring 2026 OSIC Newsletter is here! 🐟

This issue highlights collections-based teaching in FW 315 & FW 316, undergraduate research, outreach events across Oregon, student involvement in the OSIC, and more from the Oregon State Ichthyology Collection. Go check it out!

Link to newsletter in our bio (via Linktree), or here: https://ichthyology.oregonstate.edu/ichthyology/about/current-osic-newsletter

05/04/2026

One more for the upcoming and movie!

Happy and

Address

Nash Hall
Corvallis, OR
97331

Telephone

+15417376789

Website

https://linktr.ee/osuOSIC

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