Developing a better understanding of Australian Biodiversity with 14 new taxonomy projects announced
The Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS) is pleased to announce 14 successful projects funded through the 2024-25 National Taxonomic Research Grant Program (NTRGP).
These projects will bolster the taxonomic capacity of Australia and to help complete our national biodiversity picture by naming, documenting and classifying Australia’s unique species.
Once published, the newly named species and taxonomic revisions will be made publicly available on the Australian National Species List (AuNSL), the go-to checklist for native and naturalised species.
The AuNSL strives to make biodiversity and taxonomic information freely accessible to support rapid and reliable decision-making by researchers, citizen scientists, conservationists and governments to better manage and protect species living in Australia.
On behalf of the ABRS, congratulations to the principal investigators and research teams of the successful 2024-25 NTRGP projects enhancing our understanding of Australia’s unique biodiversity.
Principal Investigator | Host Institution | Project Title |
Volker Framenau | Murdoch University | Interactive key to the genera of Australian orb-weaving spiders (Araneidae) |
Matthew Barrett | James Cook University | Taxonomic and phylogenomic revision of brown rot polypores (Fungi) |
David Chapple | Monash University | Taxonomy of the skink genus Lerista (Scincidae) in Western Australia |
Lisa Kirkendale | Western Australian Museum | Unifying Symbiodiniaceae taxonomy for meaningful biological interpretations |
Russell Barrett | Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust | A genomic solution for sword sedge taxonomy (Lepidosperma, Cyperaceae) |
Paige Maroni | University of Western Australia | Chasms and connectivity: Linking deep-sea regions within Australia’s EEZ |
Francis Nge | Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust | A new phylogeny and taxonomic treatment of Halgania (Ehretiaceae) |
Marina Cheng | University of New South Wales | Systematics and conservation of Myrtlemiris-Xasmasoma bugs |
Michael Klunzinger | Griffith University | Describing new species & conservation of Australian freshwater mussels |
Mollie-Rosae Slater-Baker | University of Adelaide | Taxonomy and systematics of rogadine parasitoid wasps in Australia |
Nicholas Wee | Board of the Queensland Museum | Diversity of monorchiid trematodes in mullid fishes of Australia |
Stephen Donnellan | Australian Museum Trust | Systematics of the Australian tree frogs of the Litoria bicolor group |
Olivia Portman | University of Adelaide | Systematics of the parasitoid wasp subfamily Phygadeuontinae |
Andreas Zwick | CSIRO Australian National Insect Collection | Uncovering hidden diversity: taxonomic revision of Australian Heliozelidae |
For more information visit: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/science-research/abrs/grants