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Articles on Taxonomy

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A rare discovery: we found the sugar glider is actually three species, but one is disappearing fast

The sugar glider is an icon of the Australian bush. But discovering it’s actually three distinct species has big consequences for its conservation.
Museum collections are repositories of specimens and data, including specimens, tissue samples and vocal recordings. from Wikimedia Commons

Taxonomy, the science of naming things, is under threat

Taxonomists are becoming as rare as some of the species they work on, and this puts museum collections and conservation efforts under threat and increases the risk of biosecurity incursions.
Berzelia stokoei, one of the 3% of plants in South Africa that are found nowhere else in the world. Marinda Koekemoer

Why plants need an identity

There is good news for plant conservation in South Africa and internationally.
Attenborougharion rubicundus is one of more than a dozen species named after the legendary naturalist Sir David Attenborough. Simon Grove/Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

It’s funny to name species after celebrities, but there’s a serious side too

Scientists have been naming species after well-known people since the 18th century, often in a bid for publicity. But the issue deserves attention – 400,000 Australian species are yet to be described.

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