Field Museum

Tully Monster Mystery

After 50 years of research and mystery, scientists finally pulled together enough evidence to solve the Tully Monster Mystery! 

Mystery Solved! 

 An invertebrate is an animal that does not have a backbone or spine, examples can include: insects, crabs, lobsters, snails, octopuses, and worms. Here are some examples of invertebrates from the Field Museum’s collections!

What is an invertebrate?

A vertebrate is an animal that does have a backbone or spine. Examples can include fish, mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Here are some examples of invertebrates from the Field Museum’s collections!

What is a vertebrate?

In this activity, try to label recognizable parts of this creature that for decades puzzled scientists, the Tully Monster! Can you identify: The body? The eye-bar? The proboscis (long trunk)? The fins? Try your hand and use the key at the end of the slideshow in the next activity to check your answers!  

Tully Monster ID 

Here are some of the fossils in the Field Museum collections that scientists used to study the Tully Monster. Can you think about why it might be hard to reconstruct what a creature looked like from its fossils?

Tully Monster Fossils

Here are the parts of the Tully Monster in a labelled diagram. Were you able to find these parts in the last exercise? What made it difficult to identify these body parts?

Tully Monster ID Key

This creature puzzled scientists for decades! Is it a vertebrate? Is it an invertebrate? Work your way through this kit to find out!

To give students additional opportunity to explore Mazon Creek fossils, consider renting the “300 Million Years Ago in Illinois” Experience Box from the 

Life Science

Science

Invertebrate Slideshow

Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds.  Look at this penguin skeleton. Can you identify the spine? Does this spine look similar or different from your own spine?

Observe the wings of this bat and compare it to the other winged creatures in this slideshow. What differences do you observe in their body plans and wing bone structure? What similarities do you see?

This bat is native to subsaharan Africa. 

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Minor Epauletted Fruit Bat

This sparrow and many similar birds are housed in the Field Museum's extensive bird collection, preserved and stored for scientists and researchers to explore bird evolution and structure. 

Do you notice any differences between the bone structure of this bird and other winged creatures in this slideshow?

The white-throated sparrow is large relative to other sparrows, and can be found in woods, at forest edges, thickets, overgrown fields, parks, and woodsy suburbs. This specimen was found near McCormack Place in Chicago. 

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White-throated Sparrow

This shrew has a long, slender snout or proboscis that it uses to dig up insects from the soil. What similarities or differences do you notice in the body shape and structure between this shrew and the other vertebrates in this slideshow?

This elephant shrew is native to Tanzania. It uses its long, slender proboscis to dig up insects from the soil, and uses its long tongue to lick them up. 

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Black and Rufous Elephant Shrew

This freshwater fish has smooth, slippery skin. Compare this to the skin of other vertebrates in this slideshow. What advantages do you think having smooth, slippery skin might have for this fish?

This small minnow, known as the creek chub, can be found in freshwater in the eastern US and Canada.


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Creek Chub - Semotilus atromaculatus

Alligators have specialized bones embedded in their skin called dermal bones. What purpose do you think these bones might have? 

What similarities or differences do you notice between this alligator and the other vertebrates in this slide show?

American Alligators live throughout wetland ecosystems in the Southern  United States. They are apex predators, feeding on fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. 

Resource Kits

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Museums

Tully Monster Mystery

What is a vertebrate?

Penguin Skeleton