DOCSLIB.ORG

Rainbow Lorikeet. I�,,,,, 1/7/'(/4 , ,., I

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

See the Antarctic with a scientist. Visit Easter Island with an anthropologist. Or go to lectures, films and dinners with ,----------7Membership Application the famous. D Single540 D Dual 550 or $40.00, you can join D Family 555 D Sponsor S 100 F the Australian Museum Student $35 Pensioner 535 Society and see and do D D things most people never Surname ____________ experience. Field trips to First Name(s) ___________ remote corners of the world. Adventures within No. in family ___________ Australia: rafting, diving, Address ____________ abseiling, walking and _________ Postcode ___ more. Telephone (Bus) ___ (Home) ____ The Society also D Please find enclosed my cheque/money presents lectures, films, Sir Dm,,it Att order for S ____ luncheon talks and l'liboroug/i or charge my credit card D Bankcard dinners at the Australian D Mastercard Exp. date ___ Museum; with guest speakers such as Sir David Attenborough, Sir Edmund Hillary, o.1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I David Suzuki, Richard Dawkins and Paul Ehrlich. Members also attend special Signature ____________ previews of major exhibitions and rare tours Send to: The Australian Museum Society, backstage at the Museum. 6-8 College Street, SYDNEY NSW 2000. Telephone (02) 339 8225. Membership of TT1eAustralian Museum Society offersyou unparalleled opportunities L __________ _j and a wealth of new experiences. <9the australian museum society REBURIAL: NOT JUST Winter 1991 Volume 23 Number 9 A BLACK & WHITE ISSUE Published by The Australian Museum Trust BY FIONA DOIG 6-8 College Street, Sydney. NSW 2000 MANAGING EDITOR Phone: (02) 339 8lll Fax: (02) 339 8313 Trust HEN UNIDENTIFIED ABORIGINAL policy. Other institutions have only President: Robyn Williams human remains more than 30 begrudgingly returned a few things Museum Director: Desmond Griffin years old are discovered in New under pressure. MANAGI G EDITOR W South Wales, law requires they be sent When human remains are from a liv­ Fiona Doig, B.A. Comm. to the Australian Museum. Were the ing culture, this 'all-or-nothing' attitude SCIENTIFIC EDITOR remains of European origin, however, shows a complete lack of concern for Georgina Hickey, B.Sc.. they would be buried in a pauper's human dignity. EDITORIAL ASSISTANT grave. In the USA, indigenous burial Of great concern to these institutions Jennifer Saunders, B.Sc. sites are being pillaged; some collec­ is the maintenance and study of human TRAINEE PRODUCTION ASSISTA T tors describe the sites as 'art farms'! remains that are of scientific value. But Michelle Neal Skeletal remains are often tossed aside a significant number of indigenous peo­ CIRCULATION MANAGER in favour of the more valuable artefacts ple actually do want to obtain scientific Cathy McGahey found with them. There is no law in the information on their past and are willing ART DIRECTION USA that prevents American Indian to cooperate where material of scien­ Watch This! Design remains from being dug up. (Disturbing tific value is concerned. An example is TYPESETTING human remains of any racial group is New Zealand, where some museums Character Typesetting illegal in Australia without a permit.) have retained important scientific PRINTING Such contrasts governing the exhu­ material through arrangement with Excel Printing Company, Hong Kong mation of indigenous human remains Maori people. They have also developed ADVERTISI G seem extremely discriminatory. They policies recognising the cultural import­ Kate Lowe don't help in resolving disagreements ance of material and some has already Phone: (02) 339 8331 Fax: (02) 339 8313 over the maintenance and handling of been returned. The emphasis is on Pager: (02) 214 7035 collections of human remains housed in communication and I firmly believe that, UBSCRIPTIO S research institutions, especially when a by listening to a culture's needs, a level Annual subscription (4 issues) number of such places are not working of understanding and respect can be Within Australia $A30 with cultural groups to determine the built up. This is important if under­ Other Countries $A42 future of such material. standing is to be mutual. Two-year subscription (8 issues) In Australia there are approximately But those institutions that continue Within Australia $ASS 4,500 Aboriginal skeletal remains held to hold a 'hands off, its mine' approach Other Countries $A78 in scientificcollect ions. In the USA, the are cutting their own throats when it New subscriptions can be made by credit Smithsonian Institution (Natural His­ comes to important material, because card on the ANH toll-free hotline tory) alone holds about a quarter of a the indigenous people in question are 008-028 558 or use the form in the back of the million American Indian remains. And likely to react by maintaining a similar magazine. If it has been removed, send the Museum of Mankind, part of the vice-like stance regarding reburial. It is cheque, money order or credit card British Museum (Natural History), a no-win situation. authorisation to the address above. made holds remains of known individuals. Fortunately museums and universi­ payable to the 'Australian Museum' in Some of these collections contain ties in Australia are not taking such a Australian currency. remains that form valuable scientific All material appearing in ANH is copyright. black-and-white attitude. The Council Reproduction in whole or in part is not records of an otherwise unknown past of Australian Museum Directors passed permitted without written authorisation from and, in some cases, may be the only resolutions in 1982 that skeletal the Editor. record of prehistoric peoples. Some material would not be displayed in pub­ Opinions expressed by the authors arc their indigenous people are insisting that lic and that human remains would be own and do not necessarily represent the entire collections be returned, such as returned to those who could show patri­ policies or views of the Australian Museum. the Murray Black collection (see ANH lineal relationship. Since then, all Aus­ ANH is printed on archival quality paper vol. 23, no. 1, 1989). But what happens tralian museums have formulated suitable for library collections. when a cultural group desires the return policies regarding material of human of remains that are of little scientific origin and a significant amount of Published 1991 value? material has already been returned for ISSN-0004-9840 Over the last few years, many muse­ reburial. ums have proved willing to return such So why don't all research institutions Australian Natural Australian Natural material when claimed by a legitimate follow this lead? Surely if their function History is audJted by History is proud winner group. Unfortunately, not all museums is to facilitate understanding between the Audit Bureau of of the 1987, 88. 89 & 90 are doing this. Some are not even con­ cultural groups, they need to display circulations. WhitleyAwards for Bes, Penodlcal. sidering returning any human material. some respect for those groups. To not They fear that, if one thing is returned, to do so is excessively hypocritical and Front Cover The stomatopod Gonodacty/11s smithii has everything else must also be returned. risks the loss of communication with dramatic purple spots on the insides of its raptorial It is very disturbing to think that this the very cultures that the institution appendages (claws). These are displayed to unyielding attitude is occurring today in prides itself on understanding. If we are approaching intruders and may signal aggression some very well-respected research to study death in the context of a living and/or provide information about species identity. institutions. One large US institution culture, surely that culture has some Photo by Roy Caldwell. devoted only a single day to review its rights in making the rules. • VO LUM E 2 3 N U M B ER 9, WI N TE R 1991 665 Articles IN THIS ISSUE BY GEORGI A HICKEY SCIENTIFIC EDITOR !NOL G A GREAT COVER SIIOT FOR TIIIS ISSUE !'ROVED an unusually easy task, for a change! The photos of these curious crustaceans by visiting researcherF Professor Roy Caldwell were so exquis­ ite that selecting just a handful for the article was THE FLY-BY-NIGHT GETTING IN ON a challenge, albeit a pleasant one. From the Uni­ PARROT THE GROUND FLO OR versity of California at Berkeley, Roy is the first Lost to the toorld since 1912, The concept of convergent inaugural recipient of the Qantas Lizard Island Australia's legendary Night evolution is superbly Fellowship. His article and photos introduce us to Parrot makes an unexpected illustrated by /100 bees from the colourful world of stomatopods, better known return. It pays to watch yo11r opposite sides of the globe Iha/ as mantis shrimp. feet while you chat by /he can detect virgin females roadside. before they emerge from their The pictured trio is Australian Museum Birdman BY WAL:rER BOLES, underground cells. Walter Boles (centre), Queensland Museum's Wayne WAYNE LO GMORE & BY JOH ALCOCK Longmore (left) and visiting fellow Max Thompson MAX THOMPSON 714 (from Southwestern College in Kansas, USA). To gether they relate 688 the story behind the STOMATOPODS: THE recent rediscovery of BETTER TO SEE YOU Australia's enigmatic WITH MY DEAR Night Parrot. With no Some mantis shrimp have hard evidence of its eoolved an elaborate visual existence for nearly 80 system capable of sophisticated years, they literally colour analysis. Their 'good stumbled upon a dead looks' enable them lo keep an l'.)'l? out for predators, bird by the roadside. competitors and prey. It was a little worse BY ROY L. CALDWELL for wear but, in terms of what it can tell us 696 about this most elusive of species, this speci­ men is a mine of information.
Recommended publications
  • Predators As Agents of Selection and Diversification

    Predators As Agents of Selection and Diversification

    diversity Review Predators as Agents of Selection and Diversification Jerald B. Johnson * and Mark C. Belk Evolutionary Ecology Laboratories, Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-801-422-4502 Received: 6 October 2020; Accepted: 29 October 2020; Published: 31 October 2020 Abstract: Predation is ubiquitous in nature and can be an important component of both ecological and evolutionary interactions. One of the most striking features of predators is how often they cause evolutionary diversification in natural systems. Here, we review several ways that this can occur, exploring empirical evidence and suggesting promising areas for future work. We also introduce several papers recently accepted in Diversity that demonstrate just how important and varied predation can be as an agent of natural selection. We conclude that there is still much to be done in this field, especially in areas where multiple predator species prey upon common prey, in certain taxonomic groups where we still know very little, and in an overall effort to actually quantify mortality rates and the strength of natural selection in the wild. Keywords: adaptation; mortality rates; natural selection; predation; prey 1. Introduction In the history of life, a key evolutionary innovation was the ability of some organisms to acquire energy and nutrients by killing and consuming other organisms [1–3]. This phenomenon of predation has evolved independently, multiple times across all known major lineages of life, both extinct and extant [1,2,4]. Quite simply, predators are ubiquitous agents of natural selection. Not surprisingly, prey species have evolved a variety of traits to avoid predation, including traits to avoid detection [4–6], to escape from predators [4,7], to withstand harm from attack [4], to deter predators [4,8], and to confuse or deceive predators [4,8].
  • Guidelines for Keeping Venomous Snakes in the NT

    Guidelines for Keeping Venomous Snakes in the NT

    GUIDELINES FOR KEEPING VENOMOUS SNAKES IN THE NT Venomous snakes are potentially dangerous to humans, and for this reason extreme caution must be exercised when keeping or handling them in captivity. Prospective venomous snake owners should be well informed about the needs and requirements for keeping these animals in captivity. Permits The keeping of protected wildlife in the Northern Territory is regulated by a permit system under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2006 (TPWC Act). Conditions are included on permits, and the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory (“PWCNT”) may issue infringement notices or cancel permits if conditions are breached. A Permit to Keep Protected Wildlife enables people to legally possess native vertebrate animals in captivity in the Northern Territory. The permit system assists the PWCNT to monitor wildlife kept in captivity and to detect any illegal activities associated with the keeping of, and trade in, native wildlife. Venomous snakes are protected throughout the Northern Territory and may not be removed from the wild without the appropriate licences and permits. People are required to hold a Keep Permit (Category 1–3) to legally keep venomous snakes in the Northern Territory. Premises will be inspected by PWCNT staff to evaluate their suitability prior to any Keep Permit (Category 1– 3) being granted. Approvals may also be required from local councils, the Northern Territory Planning Authority, and the Department of Health and Community Services. Consignment of venomous snakes between the Northern Territory and other States and Territories can only be undertaken with an appropriate import / export permit. There are three categories of venomous snake permitted to be kept in captivity in the Northern Territory: Keep Permit (Category 1) – Mildly Dangerous Venomous Keep Permit (Category 2) – Dangerous Venomous Keep Permit (Category 3) – Highly Dangerous Venomous Venomous snakes must be obtained from a legal source (i.e.
  • The Case of Deirocheline Turtles

    The Case of Deirocheline Turtles

    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/556670; this version posted February 21, 2019. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 1 Body coloration and mechanisms of colour production in Archelosauria: 2 The case of deirocheline turtles 3 Jindřich Brejcha1,2*†, José Vicente Bataller3, Zuzana Bosáková4, Jan Geryk5, 4 Martina Havlíková4, Karel Kleisner1, Petr Maršík6, Enrique Font7 5 1 Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 6 2, 128 00, Czech Republic 7 2 Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum, National Museum, Václavské nám. 68, Prague 1, 110 00, 8 Czech Republic 9 3 Centro de Conservación de Especies Dulceacuícolas de la Comunidad Valenciana. VAERSA-Generalitat 10 Valenciana, El Palmar, València, 46012, Spain. 11 4 Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, Prague 2, 128 43, 12 Czech Republic 13 5 Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University 14 Hospital Motol, V Úvalu 84, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic 15 6 Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life 16 Sciences, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, 165 00, Czech Republic 17 7 Ethology Lab, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, C/ 18 Catedrátic José Beltrán Martinez 2, Paterna, València, 46980, Spain 19 Keywords: Chelonia, Trachemys scripta, Pseudemys concinna, nanostructure, pigments, chromatophores 20 21 Abstract 22 Animal body coloration is a complex trait resulting from the interplay of multiple colour-producing mechanisms.
  • Fowlers Gap Biodiversity Checklist Reptiles

    Fowlers Gap Biodiversity Checklist Reptiles

    Fowlers Gap Biodiversity Checklist ow if there are so many lizards then they should make tasty N meals for someone. Many of the lizard-eaters come from their Reptiles own kind, especially the snake-like legless lizards and the snakes themselves. The former are completely harmless to people but the latter should be left alone and assumed to be venomous. Even so it odern reptiles are at the most diverse in the tropics and the is quite safe to watch a snake from a distance but some like the Md rylands of the world. The Australian arid zone has some of the Mulga Snake can be curious and this could get a little most diverse reptile communities found anywhere. In and around a disconcerting! single tussock of spinifex in the western deserts you could find 18 species of lizards. Fowlers Gap does not have any spinifex but even he most common lizards that you will encounter are the large so you do not have to go far to see reptiles in the warmer weather. Tand ubiquitous Shingleback and Central Bearded Dragon. The diversity here is as astonishing as anywhere. Imagine finding six They both have a tendency to use roads for passage, warming up or species of geckos ranging from 50-85 mm long, all within the same for display. So please slow your vehicle down and then take evasive genus. Or think about a similar diversity of striped skinks from 45-75 action to spare them from becoming a road casualty. The mm long! How do all these lizards make a living in such a dry and Shingleback is often seen alone but actually is monogamous and seemingly unproductive landscape? pairs for life.
  • Berriquin LWMP Wildlife

    Berriquin LWMP Wildlife

    Berriquin Wildlife Murray Land & Water Management Plan Wildlife Survey 2005-2006 Matthew Herring David Webb Michael Pisasale INTRODUCTION Why do a wildlife survey? 106 farms and were surveyed One of the great things about between June 2005 and March living in rural Australia is all the 2006. They incorporated a range wildlife that we share the land- of vegetation types (e.g. Black scape with. Historically, humans Box Woodland) as well as reveg- have impacted on the survival of etation on previously cleared many native plants and animals. land and constructed wetlands. Fortunately, there is a grow- Methods used to survey wildlife ing commitment in the country included: to wildlife conservation on the farm. As we improve our knowl- - Bird surveys edge and understanding of the - Log rolling for reptiles and local landscape and the animals frogs and plants that live in it we will - Spotlighting for mammals, rep be in a much better position to tiles and nocturnal birds conserve and enhance our natu- - Elliot traps for small mammals ral heritage for future genera- and reptiles tions. - Pitfall trapping for reptiles and frogs This wildlife survey was an ini- - Harp traps for bats tiative of the Berriquin Land & - Using the “Anabat” to record Water Management Plan (LWMP) bat calls M.Herring Working Group and is the largest - Call broadcasting to attract Wildlife expert Adam Bester and most extensive ever un- birds with 11 Little Forest Bats, one dertaken in the area. Berriquin of Berriquin’s most abundant was one of four LWMP areas that Other targeted methods were mammals.
  • Action Statement Floraflora and and Fauna Fauna Guarantee Guarantee Act Act 1988 1988 No

    Action Statement Floraflora and and Fauna Fauna Guarantee Guarantee Act Act 1988 1988 No

    Action Statement FloraFlora and and Fauna Fauna Guarantee Guarantee Act Act 1988 1988 No. No. ### 108 Hooded Scaly-foot Pygopus nigriceps Description and Distribution The Hooded Scaly-foot Pygopus nigriceps belongs to the reptile family Pygopodidae, the legless or flap-footed lizards. Legless lizards are superficially snake-like; they lack forelimbs, and the hind limbs are reduced to a scaly flap just above the vent. Whilst their eyes are lidless and snake-like, there are several features that distinguish legless lizards from snakes. Most legless lizards have an obvious ear aperture, lacking in all snakes, and a broad fleshy tongue, compared to the deeply forked tongue of snakes. Most legless lizards also have a tail that, when unbroken, is considerably longer than their body. In contrast, the tail of snakes is considerably Hooded Scaly-foot, Pygopus nigriceps shorter than their body. The genus Pygopus Illustration by Peter Robertson Wildlife Profiles P/L © differs from other legless lizards on the basis of the combination of the following features: head covered with enlarged, symmetrical scales; smooth (compared to keeled) ventral scales; and the possession of eight or more preanal pores. Two species of Pygopus occur in Victoria. The Hooded Scaly-foot is a large legless lizard, attaining a total length of 475mm, and a snout- vent length of about 180mm. Females reach larger sizes than males. Variable in colour, the Hooded Scaly-foot may be pale grey to reddish-brown on the dorsal surface and whitish on the ventral surface. The dorsal scales may be dark-edged, forming a reticulated pattern, or individual pale and dark scales may form a vague longitudinal pattern.
  • Literature Cited in Lizards Natural History Database

    Literature Cited in Lizards Natural History Database

    Literature Cited in Lizards Natural History database Abdala, C. S., A. S. Quinteros, and R. E. Espinoza. 2008. Two new species of Liolaemus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from the puna of northwestern Argentina. Herpetologica 64:458-471. Abdala, C. S., D. Baldo, R. A. Juárez, and R. E. Espinoza. 2016. The first parthenogenetic pleurodont Iguanian: a new all-female Liolaemus (Squamata: Liolaemidae) from western Argentina. Copeia 104:487-497. Abdala, C. S., J. C. Acosta, M. R. Cabrera, H. J. Villaviciencio, and J. Marinero. 2009. A new Andean Liolaemus of the L. montanus series (Squamata: Iguania: Liolaemidae) from western Argentina. South American Journal of Herpetology 4:91-102. Abdala, C. S., J. L. Acosta, J. C. Acosta, B. B. Alvarez, F. Arias, L. J. Avila, . S. M. Zalba. 2012. Categorización del estado de conservación de las lagartijas y anfisbenas de la República Argentina. Cuadernos de Herpetologia 26 (Suppl. 1):215-248. Abell, A. J. 1999. Male-female spacing patterns in the lizard, Sceloporus virgatus. Amphibia-Reptilia 20:185-194. Abts, M. L. 1987. Environment and variation in life history traits of the Chuckwalla, Sauromalus obesus. Ecological Monographs 57:215-232. Achaval, F., and A. Olmos. 2003. Anfibios y reptiles del Uruguay. Montevideo, Uruguay: Facultad de Ciencias. Achaval, F., and A. Olmos. 2007. Anfibio y reptiles del Uruguay, 3rd edn. Montevideo, Uruguay: Serie Fauna 1. Ackermann, T. 2006. Schreibers Glatkopfleguan Leiocephalus schreibersii. Munich, Germany: Natur und Tier. Ackley, J. W., P. J. Muelleman, R. E. Carter, R. W. Henderson, and R. Powell. 2009. A rapid assessment of herpetofaunal diversity in variously altered habitats on Dominica.
  • Does Mutual Sexual Selection Explain the Evolution of Head Crests in Pterosaurs and Dinosaurs?

    Does Mutual Sexual Selection Explain the Evolution of Head Crests in Pterosaurs and Dinosaurs?

    LETHAIA REVIEW Does mutual sexual selection explain the evolution of head crests in pterosaurs and dinosaurs? DAVID W.E. HONE, DARREN NAISH AND INNES C. CUTHILL Hone, D.W.E., Naish, D. & Cuthill, I.C. 2011: Does mutual sexual selection explain the evolution of head crests in pterosaurs and dinosaurs? Lethaia, DOI: 10.1111/j.1502- 3931.2011.00300.x Cranial ornamentation is widespread throughout the extinct non-avialian Ornithodira, being present throughout Pterosauria, Ornithischia and Saurischia. Ornaments take many forms, and can be composed of at least a dozen different skull bones, indicating multiple origins. Many of these crests serve no clear survival function and it has been suggested that their primary use was for species recognition or sexual display. The distribution within Ornithodira and the form and position of these crests suggest sexual selection as a key factor, although the role of the latter has often been rejected on the grounds of an apparent lack of sexual dimorphism in many species. Surprisingly, the phenomenon of mutual sexual selection – where both males and females are ornamented and both select mates – has been ignored in research on fossil ornithodirans, despite a rich history of research and frequent expression in modern birds. Here, we review the available evidence for the functions of ornithodiran cranial crests and conclude that mutual sexual selection presents a valid hypothesis for their presence and distribution. The integration of mutual sexual selection into future studies is critical to our under- standing of ornithodiran ecology, evolution and particularly questions regarding sexual dimorphism. h Behaviour, Dinosauria, ornaments, Pterosauria, sexual selection.
  • Recent Taxonomic Changes and Additions to the Snake Fauna of New

    Recent Taxonomic Changes and Additions to the Snake Fauna of New

    21 assessments had been undertaken that did Recent taxonomic changes and additions not result in an application for an agreement or to the snake fauna of New South Wales a statement. 24 assessments were currently being Steve Sass1,2 undertaken, of which: 1EnviroKey, PO Box 7231, Tathra NSW 2550 5 would definitely result in an application 2Ecology & Biodiversity Group, Charles Sturt University, 9 would definitely not result in an application Thurgoona, NSW 2541 10 were undecided/not sure [email protected] To a significant degree, the future of the BioBanking program is in our hands. As Assessors, it is our role to Since the ‘Complete Guide to the Reptiles of introduce the idea to our clients and sell the concept. Australia‛ was first published in 2003, more than 80 No matter how cynical you might be about the reptile species have been added to the list of described modelling, the data upon which it is built, access to reptile species in Australia, bringing the total number the program, the cost of training or the unusual to 923 in the third and most recent addition (Wilson application of the program in part of western Sydney: and Swan 2010). These additions being the result of you must admit that it provides a mechanism to get newly discovered species, naming of previously important privately-owned pieces of country into a undescribed species, and taxonomic reviews of perpetual reserve network. If it is not achieving that, various species and genera. This has resulted in then it is partly our fault and we need to work at it.
  • Synanthropic Spiders, Including the Global Invasive Noble False Widow

    Synanthropic Spiders, Including the Global Invasive Noble False Widow

    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Synanthropic spiders, including the global invasive noble false widow Steatoda nobilis, are reservoirs for medically important and antibiotic resistant bacteria John P. Dunbar1,5*, Neyaz A. Khan2,5, Cathy L. Abberton3, Pearce Brosnan3, Jennifer Murphy3, Sam Afoullouss4, Vincent O’Flaherty2,3, Michel M. Dugon1 & Aoife Boyd2 The false widow spider Steatoda nobilis is associated with bites which develop bacterial infections that are sometimes unresponsive to antibiotics. These could be secondary infections derived from opportunistic bacteria on the skin or infections directly vectored by the spider. In this study, we investigated whether it is plausible for S. nobilis and other synanthropic European spiders to vector bacteria during a bite, by seeking to identify bacteria with pathogenic potential on the spiders. 11 genera of bacteria were identifed through 16S rRNA sequencing from the body surfaces and chelicerae of S. nobilis, and two native spiders: Amaurobius similis and Eratigena atrica. Out of 22 bacterial species isolated from S. nobilis, 12 were related to human pathogenicity among which Staphylococcus epidermidis, Kluyvera intermedia, Rothia mucilaginosa and Pseudomonas putida are recognized as class 2 pathogens. The isolates varied in their antibiotic susceptibility: Pseudomonas putida, Staphylococcus capitis and Staphylococcus edaphicus showed the highest extent of resistance, to three antibiotics in total. On the other hand, all bacteria recovered from S. nobilis were susceptible to ciprofoxacin. Our study demonstrates that S. nobilis does carry opportunistic pathogenic bacteria on its body surfaces and chelicerae. Therefore, some post-bite infections could be the result of vector- borne bacterial zoonoses that may be antibiotic resistant. Bacterial infections represent a major threat to human health.
  • Chapter 22 Evolutionary Biology: the Next 150 Years

    Chapter 22 Evolutionary Biology: the Next 150 Years

    Chapter 22 hill Evolutionary Biology: I 11.11 I~ i The Next 150 Years 1, Hopi E. Hoekstra Darwin was arguably the most prescient thinker that biology has ever wit­ nessed. But, if someone had asked him in 1859 where evolutionary biology would be in 150 years, would he have guessed correctly? He might have predicted that we would have a better understanding of how traits are in­ herited-a prediction borne nut almost 30 years later with the rediscovery of Mendel's laws in 1900. Darwin considered the Jack of understanding for how traits are inherited to be the missing link in his argument fnr evolution I by natural selection, and when pushed, he devised his own theory (i.e., ~jl !I pangenesis), which was one of his few major errors. Yet, the ramifications .I of Mendel's experiments or of subsequent discoveries, like that of the three­ dimensionaJ DNA structure by Watson and Crick (1953) a century after Tlzc Origin of Species was published, along with the resultant technological advances, such as the ability to sequence a complete genome in another 50 years, were unknowable in his day. \Jor could Darwin have anticipated the questions that have dominated the field since, such as the relative role of drift and selection in driving molecular evolution (Kimura 1968). With the acknowledgement that technologies, discoveril'S, and questions will arise that, likewise, ca1mnt be imagined, it is useful-perhaps even stimulating­ to speculate about what the next 150 (or more modestly, 50 or even 20) years will hold for evolutionary biology.
  • Chancellor Mr Robyn Williams AM Is One of the Most Influential Science Journalists and Broadcasters in the English-Speaking Worl

    Chancellor Mr Robyn Williams AM Is One of the Most Influential Science Journalists and Broadcasters in the English-Speaking Worl

    Chancellor Mr Robyn Williams AM is one of the most influential science journalists and broadcasters in the English-speaking world, and is among the most reliable friends and defenders of Australian science. He is best-known as host of the Science Show on ABC Radio National, which he launched in 1975. With more than 2000 episodes, it is one of the world’s longest-running programs of its type. Through this and other avenues he has done a great deal to democratise the understanding and appreciation of science. Masterfully, he brings complex work out of the pages of peer- reviewed journals and the proceedings of conferences, and into the minds of a vast and diverse audience - from school children to Nobel laureates. His topic selections and astute questions reflect his education in science, his voracious reading of journals, and his links with scientists across the globe. Born in England and schooled there and in Austria, he gained a Bachelor of Science with Honours from the University of London. Moving to Australia in the early 1970s, he earned his broadcasting stripes in the ABC Science Unit, before starting and anchoring the Science Show. Its hour-long weekly format has stood the test of time - as has its host. For 42 years, undeterred even by a period of serious illness, Mr Williams has relentlessly researched, edited, curated and interviewed. Along with the Science Show he presents Ockham’s Razor (described as a ‘soap box for all things scientific), and he has published 10 books. While countless people have benefitted from his services to science and the media, his contributions have been valued particularly at The University of Queensland.