A new and brachypterous species of Semanopterus Hope, 1847 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini) is described: S. kingstoni Reid & Tees, new species. The species is based on a single female specimen, collected on Lord Howe Island in the southwest Pacific Ocean. It is the sixth species of dynastine known from Lord Howe Island; a key is provided for identification of all of the species known from this small island.
A remarkable new species, Microselia lorien, from northern coastal New South Wales, Australia is described and illustrated. This is the first record of the genus Microselia in Australia. With the previously described species occurring in the Afrotropical (6), Neotropical (1), Palaearctic (7), Nearctic (1) regions (Systema Dipterorum, 2022). The species discovered in Australia is new to science.
Background
Bird nests are an important part of avian ecology. They are a powerful tool for studying not only the birds that built them, but a wide array of topics ranging from parasitology, urbanisation and climate change to evolution. Despite this, bird nests tend to be underrepresented in natural history collections, a problem that should be redressed through renewed focus by collecting institutions.
Methods
Here we outline the history and current best practice collection and curatorial methods for the nest collection of the Australian National Wildlife Collection (ANWC). We also describe an experiment conducted on nests in the ANWC using ultrasonic humidification to restore the shape of nests damaged by inappropriate storage.
Results
The experiment showed that damaged nests can be successfully reshaped to close to their original dimensions. Indeed, restored nests were significantly closer to their original shape than they were prior to restoration. Thus, even nests damaged by years of neglect may be fully incorporated into active research collections. Best practice techniques include extensive note taking and photography in the field, subsampling of nests that cannot or should not be collected, appropriate field storage, metadata management, and prompt treatment upon arrival at the collection facility.
Conclusions
Renewed focus on nest collections should include appropriate care and restoration of current collections, as well as expansion to redress past underrepresentation. This could include collaboration with researchers studying or monitoring avian nesting ecology, and nest collection after use in bird species that rebuild anew each nesting attempt. Modern expansion of museum nest collections will allow researchers and natural history collections to fully realise the scientific potential of these complex and beautiful specimens.
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