6 Jun 2013How much has Megamouth grown?Competition - how much has Megamouth increased in weight during his preservation treatment? The WA Museum’s megamouth shark was the third specimen recorded when it appeared dying on a Mandurah beach in 1988.Read more Blog entry Western Australian Museum
31 May 2013They're using coconuts...A large land crab, which climbs trees and feeds on coconuts, can hardly go unnoticed. Vague reports date back to the 9th century, and include descriptions by Charles Darwin and Carolus Linnaeus. According to these early records Birgus latro was once widespread throughout the Pacific and Indian Ocean, mirroring the distribution of coconut palm trees.These coconut or robber crabs, however, are considered a delicacy and aphrodisiac in some cultures, and as a result they are now restricted to islands scarcely inhabited by humans, where they have nocturnal and shy habits.Read more Blog entry Andrew Hosie
15 May 2013Drum Favourites: the Southern Sponge CrabAustrodromidia australis belongs to the Dromiidae family, commonly known as the sponge crabs. These unique creatures actually carry a well-fitting camouflage cap of living sponge or ascidian (sea squirt) over their back which they trim and keep tidy. As well as camouflaging the crab, the sponge can often taste bad, making potential predators reluctant to eat it. The sponge or other encrusting animal on the back of the Dromiid can often be larger than the crab itself.Read more Blog entry Andrew Hosie
7 May 2013What do you call a giant green walking stick...The Broome Advertiser contacted us this week with a photo of an unusual insect taken near Cable Beach in the State's North West recently. We asked our Terrestrial Invertebrates technical officer Brian Hanich if we should be worried.... Read more Blog entry Niki Comparti
12 Apr 2013The problem with dangerous goods: WA Museum’s conunDRUMThe Western Australian Museum is the repository for the State’s collection of both natural and social heritage. The Museum's collections require varying amounts of care to preserve. Some artefacts or specimens can simply be kept dry. Most of the Crustacean Collection however is wet-preserved in ethanol and stored in jars and housed in our wet store. Unluckily, not all crustaceans can fit into our jars and some larger specimens are stored in drums, which again, sadly, don’t fit in our wet store.Read more Blog entry Andrew Hosie
25 Mar 2013Fish in focus - The West Australian SeahorseContinuing our series of endemic fish species, here is a very special fish that is endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. The West Australian Seahorse: Hippocampus subelongatus Castelnau, 1873Read more Blog entry Western Australian Museum
25 Feb 2013Fish in focus - Western Blue GroperContinuing our series of endemic fish species, here is a species that is endemic to the south west of Western Australia and along the south coast to Victoria. The charismatic Western Blue Groper Achoerodus gouldii (Richardson, 1843)Read more Blog entry Western Australian Museum
11 Feb 2013Love is...Today we received a gorgeous letter from Mrs Edna Giles who attended the Unveiled exhibition with the Embroiders Guild of WA. Mrs Giles sent in a copy of her own wedding photo from 1956, featuring the gown she designed and made, and that is remarkably like Catherine Middleton's gown, when she wed Prince William.Read more Blog entry
31 Jan 2013Fish in focus - Breaksea CodAs proud Western Australians, to start off in 2013 we will be highlighting a group of very special fishes – endemic species – those found only in Western Australia. This is the first of those. One of a kind - Breaksea Cod Epinephelides armatus (Castelnau, 1875) Status: Near ThreatenedRead more Blog entry Western Australian Museum
31 Jan 2013What spider is this?In late January 2013, a member of public photographed a spider near Mandurah and enquiried what type of spider it might be. Postdoctorate fellow and Western Australian Museum research associate Dr Mike Rix identified the spider and gave the following advice:Read more Blog entry Western Australian Museum