Leading Scientists Visit C.V.R.I.C
(Image Slug: Pictured left to right: Dr Bert Candusio, C.V.R.I.C Curator, Dr Jenny Shield; La Trobe University and Dr Robert Raven)
The Central Victoria Regional Insect Collection (C.V.R.I.C) was recently paid a visit by two leading research scientists in order to view and evaluate the C.V.R.I.C collections and to support its ongoing progress and development. The first research papers describing new species from the C.V.R.I.C will be published in the near future.
Dr Robert Raven is one of Australia's foremost arachnologist or spider expert. Having started by researching the behaviour and ecology of spiders in the Brisbane region, he moved on to the taxonomy of spiders. He has described over 450 new species in more than 40 genera from Australia, South East Asia, the Pacific islands, and Central and South America. Having joined the staff of the Queensland Museum in 1974 he became Head of Terrestrial Biodiversity and Principal Curator.
Dr Raven has been Spider Bite Consultant for the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane for many years. He serves as Chairman of the World Spider Catalog Committee for the International Society of Arachnology and was founder of the Australasian Arachnological Society. In 2018 he was awarded the Queensland Museum Medal.
Dr Jenny Sheild from La Trobe University has also studied the spider and insect fauna of Central Victoria over many years and works with Dr Raven in describing new spider species collected from the region.
Both Dr Raven and Dr Shield called in to the C.V.R.I.C to discuss the importance of the collection and to help ensure that the collection is protected for future generations. The collections curator Bert Candusio is keen to locate the collection locally where it can be made publicly available for biological research, education and environmental assessment applications.
There were smiles all around when the National Insect Expo exhibition manager Jesse-Bree (Pictured to the Right) rolled up with several drawers of spectacular insects from the Russell Wilkinson Collection that was donated to the C.V.R.I.C this year and will be on show at the exhibition. Staff and customers were amazed at the colors and different forms that were seen. Again, the C.V.R.I.C would like to thank Bendigo Community Bank Gisborne for their continued support.