Hello everyone, I am back again with another species list. This time, I'll be compiling a list for the Museum of Life and Science, based in Durham, NC. I don't see that a species list has been posted for this facility yet, so I figured I would get one started. This list will follow a similar format to my NC Zoo list. English and Latin names are provided. Notes are included based on my own observations. I also compiled a list on iNaturalist that you can view here -> Durham Museum of Life and Sciences Species List. Please note that the English and Latin names you see on iNaturalist may differ from what you see at the facility, because the facility may use alternative names or synonyms. This list is based on my most recent visit on 02/21/2023. It should account for all species currently on public display and/or signed. It does not include off-show, ambassador, or special event animals. Wild animals observed onsite are also excluded. Species that occupy multiple exhibits will only be listed once. Main Building - Carolina Wildlife Notes - Please note that this exhibit mainly houses injured and rescued animals, so the collection may be subject to frequent and sudden changes (indeed, some exhibits have a new species every time I visit). The "stream" exhibit in the center of the room (connected to the bird aviary) was empty, as were 2 of the reptile terrariums. American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) (Juveniles only) American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) American Mink (Neogale vison) Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) (In 2 separate exhibits) Merlin (Falco columbarius) Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) (In 2 separate exhibits) Plain-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster) Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Blackbanded Darter (Percina nigrofasciata) (In 2 separate exhibits) Black-banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon) (In 2 separate exhibits) Blue-spotted Sunfish (Enneacanthus gloriosus) (In 2 separate exhibits) Yellowfin Shiner (Notropis lutipinnis) (In 2 separate exhibits) Main Building - Other Notes - The museum has a leafcutter ant colony set up near the areospace exhibit. It is not grouped with any gallery. Hairy-headed leafcutter ant (Atta cephalotes) Farmyard Notes - Just a standard farm exhibit; breeds provided where supplied. Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) Huacaya Alpaca Domestic Cattle (Bos taurus) Miniature Hereford Cattle Domestic Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) Americuana Belgian d'Uccle Welsummer White-crested Black Polish Domestic Goat (Capra hircus) Nigerian Dwarf Goat African Pygmy Goat Domestic Pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) Pot-bellied Pig Donkey (Equus asinus) Bayer Insectarium Notes - This exhibit is a separate building from the main museum building. Also note that many species English and Latin names don't always match what iNaturalist lists; such differences are noted below. These should be accurate since the museum does list Latin names and uses synonyms in some cases. Also note that the large barrier-less exhibit that previously housed Golden Orb Weavers is currently empty. Atlas Beetle (Chalcosoma atlas) (Signed as Giant Black Rhino Beetle) Desert Hairy Scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis) Desert Ironclad Beetle (Asbolus verrucosus) (Signed as Blue Death Feigning Beetle) Dragon-headed Katydid (Lesina blanchardi) (iNaturalist has no English name assigned) Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex badius) Giant Cave Cockroach (Blaberus giganteus) Giant Malayan Stick Insect (Phobaeticus serratipes) Giant Vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus) Goliath Birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa) Moving Leaf Insect (Phyllium) (Species not specified) New Guinea Spiny Stick Insect (Eurycantha calcarata) (Signed as Giant Spiny Stick) Eleodes obscura (Signed as Pinacate Beetle) Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans) (Signed as Black Widow) Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Whitespot Assassin Bug (Platymeris biguttatus) (Signed as White-eyed Assassin Bug) Dyeing Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) (Species not specified, but was able to ID) Yellow-headed Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas) (Species not specified, but was able to ID) Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) (Unsigned) Milky Backswimmer (Notonecta) (Species not specified) Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) (Signed as Crayfish) Sunburst Diving Beetle (Thermonectus marmoratus) Water Scorpion (Ranatra) (Species not specified) Whirligig Beetle (Gyrinidae) (Species not specified) Magic Wings Butterfly House Notes - This exhibit is connected to and accessed from the Bayer Insectarium. As with above, differences in English names and synonyms used are noted. Species listed are free-roaming unless otherwise specified. Autumn Leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide) Banded Orange Heliconian (Dryadula phaetusa) Blue Wanderer (Tirumala hamata) (Signed as Dark Blue Tiger) Blue-frosted Banner (Catonephele numilia) (Signed as Shoemaker) Citrus Swallowtail (Papilio demodocus) Clipper (Parthenos sylvia) Common Mormon Swallowtail (Papilio polytes) Common Morpho (Morpho helenor peleides) (Signed as Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides) Common Olivewing (Nessaea aglaura) (Signed as Greenback) Cydno Longwing (Heliconius cydno) Darkened Rusty Clearwing (Greta morgane oto) (Signed as Greta oto) Dirce Beauty (Colobura dirce) (Signed as Zebra Mosaic) Doris Longwing (Heliconius doris) Eastern Giant Swallowtail (Heraclides cresphontes) (Signed with Papilio cresphontes) Eryphanis automedon (Signed as Bamboo Butterfly, Eryphanis polyxena) False Zebra Longwing (Heliconius atthis) (Signed as Atthis Longwing) Giant Owl (Caligo telamonius memnon) (Signed as Owl Butterfly, Caligo memnon) Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina) Great Orange Tip (Hebomoia glaucippe) Great Yellow Mormon Swallowtail (Papilio lowii) (Signed as Low's Swallowtail) Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites) (Signed as Precis atlites) Harmonia Tigerwing (Tithorea harmonia) (Signed as Tiger Mimic) Iphidamas Cattleheart (Parides iphidamas) Julia Heliconian (Dryas iulia) (Signed as Orange Longwing) Malachite (Siproeta stelenes) Malay Cruiser (Vindula dejone) Malayan leafwing (Kallima paralekta) (Signed as Dead Leaf) Narrow Green-banded Swallowtail (Papilio nireus) (Signed as Emerald Swallowtail) Orange-barred Sulphur (Phoebis philea) Pink Rose (Pachliopta kotzebuea) (Signed as Black Rose Swallowtail) Postman (Heliconius melpomene) Red Lacewing (Cethosia biblis) Red Peacock (Anartia amathea) Red Postman (Heliconius erato) Rice Paper Butterfly (Idea leuconoe) (Signed as Paper Kite) Ruby-spotted Swallowtail (Heraclides anchisiades) (Signed as Papilio anchisiades) Rusty-tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus) (Signed as Bamboo Page) Sara Longwing (Heliconius sara) Scarlet Mormon Swallowtail (Papilio rumanzovia) (Signed as Red Mormon) Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) Tiger Longwing (Heliconius hecale) Turquoise Cracker (Hamadryas arinome) Whitened Bluewing (Myscelia cyaniris) Crested Partridge (Rollulus rouloul) Koi (Cyprinus rubrofuscus) (Not free-roaming, obviously) Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas) (Chrysalis Room only) Banded Owl-Butterfly (Caligo atreus) (Signed as Magnificent Owl, Chrysalis Room only) Heliconius antiochus (Signed as Antiochus Longwong, Chrysalis Room only) Lebeau's Silk Moth (Rothschildia lebeau) (Signed as American Silkmoth, Chrysalis Room only) Parides lysander (Signed as Blue Cattleheart, Chrysalis Room only) Polymnia Tigerwing (Mechanitis polymnia) (Signed as Tiger Mimic, Chrysalis Room only) Explore the Wild Notes - This exhibit is part of a looping trail that interacts with a reclaimed quarry. Other non-animal exhibits are also found on the trail. The quarry features a wetlands where native wildlife can be seen. American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) Red Wolf (Canis rufus) Radiated Tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) Total Species Count - 106 Species Insects - 68 Mammals - 9 Reptiles - 8 Birds - 7 Fish - 6 Arachnids - 4 Amphibians - 3 Crustaceans - 1 Closing Notes - As you can see, insects reign surpreme at this facility in terms of species count, outnumbering the other taxon combined nearly 2 to 1. This is owed to a very solid insect house and an excellent butterfly exhibit, the latter of which is unquestionably the best of all the butterfly exhibits in North Carolina that I have visited (the others are Greensboro, NC Zoo, and the Museum of Natural Sciences), and I would even rank it above the ones at Omaha and the Tennessee Aquarium. The rest of the collection is pretty standard and nothing special outside of maybe the Mink and the 2 birds of prey, though the Bear, Wolf, and Lemur exhibits are very good.
Just realized I mistakenly left off Northern Pine Snake in the Carolina Wildlife exhibit (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). The species count remains the same since I got that from my iNaturalist list. I really wish we could go back and edit posts.
The mink sadly passed away a short while ago and the exhibit currently sits empty. Combined with the recent Muskrat passing in late 2022 and the museum has lost a couple of rarely-displayed local mammal species. They still have an Eastern Bluebird, which I had never seen previously in captivity and which I think is rare.
