Articles on Australian fauna

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Just another of Australia’s creepy crawlies… but will it kill you? Flickr/

January 25, 2017

Welcome to Australia, a land of creatures out to kill you… maybe

Ronelle Welton, University of Melbourne

Australia's snakes, spiders and other venomous critters tend to strike fear in many people. But is Australia's reputation as a nation of deadly creatures deserved?

Western galahs in flight. Shutterstock/Andrea Izzotti

September 22, 2016

How the Australian galah got its name in a muddle

Leo Joseph, CSIRO and Jeremy Austin, University of Adelaide

When is a galah not a galah? That depends on which scientific name is attached to the Australian bird. There's been some confusion over this, which DNA testing has finally solved.

Some of the many species in the Australian National Insect Collection. CSIRO/Alan Landford

June 20, 2016

Why so many Australian species are yet to be named

David Yeates, CSIRO

At least 100,000 insects are among the many Australian species still to be formally identified. That's a problem for any biosecurity experts who need to be able to spot potentially invasive bugs.

Top contributors

Jeremy Austin
Deputy Director and ARC Future Fellow, Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide
Leo Joseph
Research Director and Curator, Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, CSIRO
David Yeates
Director of the Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO
Ronelle Welton
Scientist, University of Melbourne