A recent fieldtrip with Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation (WGAC), saw some of our scientists carry out exciting research on Wunambal Gaambera Country in the far north of the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Joining the fieldtrip from the Western Australian Museum was Head of Terrestrial Zoology and Curator of Arachnids and Myriapods Dr Mark Harvey, Curator of Mammalogy Dr Kenny Travouillon, Curator of Entomology Dr Nikolai Tatarnic, and Technical Officer Jenelle Ritchie.

Guiding our scientists were WGAC’s Healthy Country Team of Uunguu Rangers and Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners including Jazzlyn Phillips, Taniayh Phillips, Damon Bundamurra, Derek Charles, Jeremy Kowan, Desmond Williams, Healthy Country Manager Tom Vigilante and Ranger Co-ordinator Shane Clugston.

During the fieldtrip, the team visited Ngauwudu (Mitchell Plateau), Bougainville Peninsula and Punamii Uunpuu, (Mitchell Falls) looking for different species as part of ongoing research projects at the Museum.

Dr Mark Harvey recollected fresh pseudoscorpion species at Mitchell Plateau, which is also known as Ngauwudu, and Bougainville Peninsula.

Recollecting fresh specimens is important as it allows for DNA analysis which contributes to better understanding the biology and distribution of these little arachnids.

Dr Nikolai Tatarnic collected assassin bugs that have the interesting behaviour of collecting plant resin on their legs to catch prey.

This behaviour is known in species from other parts of the world but has not been explored in the Australian fauna.

Dr Tatarnic is currently studying this behaviour and exploring its evolution in Australian assassin bugs.

Dr Kenny Travouillon worked on bandicoot taxonomy near Mitchell Falls also known as Punamii Uunpuu and focused on the Golden bandicoot (Isoodon auratus), known as bundɨlarri in Wunambal Gaambera language.

Preliminary research has identified that the Golden bandicoot may be more than one species, meaning that the specimen collected on the fieldtrip is believed to be new to science.

This study will contribute to broader research around Isoodon at the Museum.

Specimens collected on the WGAC fieldtrip are now in the safe keeping of the WA Museum Collections and Research Centre. Further research conducted will reveal more information.