Join Western Australian Museum Senior Curator Dr Mark Harvey as he presents ‘New Discoveries in the World Around Us’, as part of the Harry Butler Lecture Series: In the Wild West, at the WA Museum – Perth on Tuesday 22 May at 12:30pm.
The public lecture coincides with the International Day for Biological Diversity, and will celebrate how fortunate Western Australians are to live in one of the last regions of the world where new animal species are regularly found.
“Hundreds of new animals from WA and nearby regions are still being discovered, from tiny spiders to large reptiles. Not a week goes past where we don’t come across something we haven’t seen before,” Dr Harvey said.
“The fauna of WA is extremely diverse and very ancient, so there is a lot to discover. Many species belong to groups of animals whose origins can be traced to when Australia was part of the super-continent Gondwana over 100 million years ago,” he said.
Dr Harvey’s lecture will reveal some of the new species of spiders, reptiles, frogs, scorpions and insects being defined in the Museum’s new state-of-the-art Molecular Systematics Laboratory.
“The cutting-edge DNA technology in the new Molecular Lab is now allowing staff to identity the characteristics of species, offering accurate insights into the environmental needs and threats of local species.”
With this information, WA Museum scientists are able to provide Government and industry with environmental impact assessments vital to the protection and preservation of the State’s fauna.
In addition to his work as one of the WA Museum’s Senior Curators, Mark Harvey is the Adjunct Professor at the School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, and a Research Associate of the American Museum of Natural History, New York and the California Academy of Science, San Francisco.
He is the also the author of nearly 200 scientific research papers, books and identification guides to small animals.
Bookings for the lecture are essential, and can be made by phoning the Western Australian Museum – Perth, or online at www.museum.wa.gov.au/inthewildwest
The Harry Butler lecture series: In the Wild West is proudly presented by the WA Museum in partnership with Chevron Australia. The series showcases the work of Museum scientists, curators and associates in the areas of natural and social sciences.
Niki Comparti, Western Australian Museum, 9212 3840, Niki.Comparti@museum.wa.gov.au
