Tagged: taxonomy

Featured image: Resolving a genetic mash-up: reconstructing an accurate evolutionary history of kākāriki

Resolving a genetic mash-up: reconstructing an accurate evolutionary history of kākāriki - Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives

Nic Rawlence • Sep 10, 2021 •

Prioritising species conservation and over-stretched government funding is built upon an accurate understanding of evolutionary relationships and taxonomy. But what if that evolutionary history is wrong? More importantly, what are the consequences for endangered biodiversity as conservation funding and resources are re-assigned? Numerous examples have come to light in recent years where genetic techniques have shown previously recognised endangered or … Read More

Featured image: Taxonomy for Sale to the Highest Bidder

Taxonomy for Sale to the Highest Bidder - Guest Work

Guest Author • Apr 15, 2019 •

Shaena Montanari Last December, the environmental group Rainforest Trust celebrated its 30th anniversary by auctioning off the rights to name 12 newly discovered species, including orchids, frogs, and an ant. The Virginia-based nonprofit group claimed the auction raised $182,500 for its conservation programs. The most valuable animal turned out to be a wormlike amphibian from Panama, which … Read More

Featured image: What’s in a name?

What’s in a name? - Guest Work

Guest Author • Feb 27, 2019 •

Megan Shaffer Identifying species is not as easy as it seems. Animals are generally distinguished from one another based on differences in their appearances. Generally, organisms that look the same and share similar characteristics are named the same species, and organisms that look different are classified as different species. Though seemingly simple, identifying species based on what they look like … Read More

Featured image: Cold-store snails, data for sale and NZ’s lost birds – our favourite science journalism from October

Cold-store snails, data for sale and NZ’s lost birds – our favourite science journalism from October - Lately, In Science

Sarah-Jane O'Connor • Nov 01, 2018 •

Phew, it’s been a busy month in the news agenda: from the IPCC’s 1.5C report to turmoil in the National party and tragedy in Wanaka and Mt Cook. Through all of that, you’d be forgiven for missing some of the excellent science-related stories that have been published over the past month. But never fear, we’ve collated some of our favourites … Read More

Featured image: What’s in a name: the importance of naming biodiversity

What’s in a name: the importance of naming biodiversity - Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives

Nic Rawlence • Sep 26, 2017 •

‘What’s in a name? that which we call a rose. By any other word would smell as sweet’ wrote the bard when he penned Romeo and Juliet. Names are important. They evoke emotions, power, a sense of pride and ownership. Names can transcend language barriers and allow global communication of science. Naming biodiversity is no different. Recently I gave a … Read More

Featured image: Five things you should know about taxonomy

Five things you should know about taxonomy - Guest Work

Guest Author • Jul 10, 2017 •

Kevin Thiele, University of Western Australia; David Yeates, CSIRO; Kym Abrams, University of Western Australia, and Nerida Wilson, Western Australian Museum Earlier this year, a Canadian scientist named a new moth species Neopalpa donaldtrumpi (read that name out loud for full effect). It’s an insect with a golden hairdo and relatively … Read More

Featured image: Discovering new species in the Kermadec Islands

Discovering new species in the Kermadec Islands - Infrequently Asked Questions

Lynley Hargreaves • Jan 28, 2016 •

Dr Tom Trnski A November 2015 expedition to the remote, subtropical Kermadec Islands doubled the area’s number of known sponge species, with a sponges taxonomist on the team for the first time. That was exciting to see, says Auckland War Memorial Museum’s Tom Trnski, the expedition leader. But often the really interesting part, he tells us, is how species … Read More

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