THERYA, 2021, Vol. 12(1):57-74 DOI:10.12933/therya-21-978 ISSN 2007-3364 65 years of museum-based mammal research in México: from taxonomy to worldwide information networks CELIA LÓPEZ-GONZÁLEZ1*, CYNTHIA ELIZALDE-ARELLANO2, MIGUEL BRIONES-SALAS3, MARIO C. LAVARIEGA3, AND JUAN CARLOS LÓPEZ-VIDAL2 1 Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR) Unidad Du- rango, Calle Sigma 119 Fracc. 20 de Noviembre II, CP. 34220, Durango. Durango, México. Email:
[email protected] (CLG). 2 Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Laboratorio de Cordados Terrestres, Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Carpio y Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Casco Santo Tomás, CP. 11340. Ciudad de México, México. Email: thiadeno@hotmail. com (CEA),
[email protected] (JCLV). 3 Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR) Unidad Oaxaca, Hornos 1003, Colonia Noche Buena, CP. 71230, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán. Oaxaca, México. Email:
[email protected] (MBS),
[email protected] (MCL). *Corresponding author Biological collections have become a key tool for biodiversity research. They are repositories of germplasm and data on modified or ex- tinct natural populations, providing valuable information for understanding anthropogenic impacts on the natural world. We appraised the scientific value of the three mammal collections maintained by the Instituto Politécnico Nacional of Mexico (IPN): Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas (ENCB), CIIDIR Durango (CRD), and CIIDIR Oaxaca (OAXMA). We evaluated their specimen inventory, geographic coverage, and scientific importance for mammalogy. We assessed their physical conditions and provided insights into their future as data sources for unders- tanding natural changes in the 21st century.