A millipede moving in an 's'-shape across a bright green leaf. The photo is by Ruttapon Srisonchai. The caption tells us: "This unusual dragon millipede found in Thailand has alternately long and short legs, a rare trait known as ‘heteropody’."

This unusual dragon millipede found in Thailand has alternately long and short legs, a rare trait known as ‘heteropody’.

The researchers documented their find in Invertebrate Systematics:

doi.org/10.1071/IS25...

#InvertebrateSys #WorldWildlifeDay

6/8

An underwater photograph of C. koellikeri from the Great Barrier Reef, a soft pink coral which looks like fluffy flowers. The photo is credited as being by Augustine Crosbie. A caption tells us: "Combining ancient DNA with the study of 19th century specimens, researchers resolved the identity of the Clavularia genus, a group of soft corals, which had been misclassified for nearly two centuries."

Combining ancient DNA with the study of 19th century specimens, researchers resolved the identity of the Clavularia genus, a group of soft corals.

#OpenAccess in Invertebrate Systematics:

doi.org/10.1071/IS25...

#InvertebrateSys #WorldWildlifeDay
@jcuofficial.bsky.social

4/8

(218.88 KB) An underwater photograph of the pale soft coral C. koellikeri from 30m, Iriomote island, Japan, its feathery flower-like tentacles bending with the current. The photo is credited as being by Stefano Borghi. A caption invites us to read the open access article in Invertebrate Systematics titled 'Redescription of the type material of Clavularia de Blainville, 1830 (Anthozoa: Octocorallia), with descriptions of new taxa and a new family'.

Redescription of the type material of Clavularia de Blainville, 1830 (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) w/ descript. of new taxa + family

Stefano Borghi, Catherine McFadden, Tom Bridge, Andrew Baird, Merrick Ekins, Michela Mitchell, James Reimer & Peter Cowman

doi.org/10.1071/IS25...

#InvertebrateSys
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Stefano Borghi poses for a selfie while holding a specimen jar in the Natural History Museum in Paris. "'With the description of new species, a new genus, and a new family, we now realize how much diversity we’ve been overlooking,' said lead researcher Stefano Borghi of the find."

“We found that species we thought were widespread are actually quite unique,” said @jcuofficial.bsky.social's Stefano Borghi.

"With the description of new species, a new genus, and a new family, we now realize how much diversity we’ve been overlooking."

#InvertebrateSys

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A hand holds up a specimen jar with shelves of other specimens visible in the background. The location is Natural History Museum in Paris and the jar is labeled 'Clavularia viridis'. A caption explains: "The 200-year-old mystery of a group of soft corals has been resolved, leading to the description of a new species, a new genus, and even a completely new coral family." The photo is credited as being by Stefano Borghi.

Combining ancient DNA with the study of 19th century specimens, researchers finally resolved the identity of the Clavularia genus, a group of #SoftCorals, which had been misclassified for nearly 2 centuries.

Published in Invertebrate Systematics:

connectsci.au/is/article/4...

#InvertebrateSys
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Black and white scanning electron micrographs of sclerites of the lectotype of Clavularia viridis Quoy & Gaimard, 1833 (MNHN-IK-2000-184). A caption invites us to read the open access article 'Redescription of the type material of Clavularia de Blainville, 1830 (Anthozoa: Octocorallia), with descriptions of new taxa and a new family' in Invertebrate Systematics.

New and #OpenAccess in Invertebrate Systematics:

Redescription of the type material of Clavularia de Blainville, 1830 (Anthozoa: Octocorallia), with descriptions of new taxa and a new family:

connectsci.au/is/article/4...

#InvertebrateSys

Now Mark has become one of the few people on Earth to describe more than 1,000 new species.

Invertebrate Systematics recently published a special collection dedicated to his work:

'1000 new species—a lifelong dedication to biodiversity discovery'

connectsci.au/is/collectio...

#InvertebrateSys

Gymnobisium inukshuk, a troglobitic species of pseudoscorpion, photographed by Gonzalo Giribet. The scorpion has brown thin pedipalps and a beige shiny abdomen. A caption invites us to read a new collection in Invertebrate Systematics titled '1000 new species—a lifelong dedication to biodiversity discovery', which is free to read until May 2026.

Mark Harvey's work has been profiled in a new Invertebrate Systematics collection, '1000 new species—a lifelong dedication to biodiversity discovery'.

connectsci.au/collection/2...

Photo: Gymnobisium inukshuk, a troglobitic pseudoscorpion species described by Mark.

#InvertebrateSys #FreeToRead 🕷️🧪

Naming species is crucial to conserving them according to spider expert - ABC listen Living scientist Dr Mark Harvey reaches rare milestone of naming 1000 species of invertebrates.

Dr Mark “Spider Man” Harvey, Western Australian Museum Research Associate and Associate Editor of our journal Invertebrate Systematics, has reached an extraordinary milestone: he has described 1,000th species.

www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

#InvertebrateSys

Beautiful table corals fanning out across the reef. A caption invites us to read and open access article in the journal Invertebrate Systematics, titled 'The tables have turned: taxonomy, systematics and biogeography of the Acropora hyacinthus (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) complex'. The photo is credited as being by Queensland Museum.

Dive deeper into the research in Invertebrate Systematics:

'The tables have turned: taxonomy, systematics and biogeography of the Acropora hyacinthus (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) complex'

By Rassmussen et al.

www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS24049

#Taxonomy #ReefScience #OpenAccess #InvertebrateSys

An alien-looking Antarctic strawberry feather star, Promachocrinus fragarius. It has 20 long arms that are pale and feathered, giving it an eerie appearance. Text reads: "New Collection: Invertebrate Systematics of the Americas and Beyond: Spotlight for ICIM-6. Published in Invertebrate Systematics". Photo by Greg Rouse.

New #InvertebrateSys Collection:
Invertebrate Systematics of the Americas and Beyond: Spotlight for ICIM-6

Highlights recent research from the Pacific region and beyond, to celebrate the 6th International Congress on Invertebrate Morphology #ICIM6.

Read more: www.publish.csiro.au/is/collectio...

A dark brown millipede crawls along a green plant stem, its many legs of different lengths visible. A caption invites us to read a research article in Invertebrate Systematics, titled 'Molecular and morphological data uncover a striking new genus of dragon millipedes in Thailand, with alternately long and short legs (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)'. The photo is by Ruttapon Srisonchai.

'Molecular and morphological data uncover a striking new genus of dragon millipedes in Thailand, with alternately long and short legs'

By Ruttapon Srisonchai, Henrik Enghoff, Natdanai Likhitrakarn, Somsak Panha & Chirasak Sutcharit

www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS25007

#InvertebrateSys

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A dark brown millipede on the tip of a green plant stem. The animal has many legs of different lengths. A caption tells us: "'Heteropody in these species may be related to lateral or sideways motion,' the researchers wrote in their article in Invertebrate Systematics. 'To fully understand the ecological and evolutionary significance of this unusual trait, further in situ investigations are needed.'" The photo is by Ruttapon Srisonchai.

“Heteropody in these species may be related to lateral or sideways motion,” the researchers wrote in their article in Invertebrate Systematics.

“To fully understand the ecological and evolutionary significance of this unusual trait, further in situ investigations are needed.”

#InvertebrateSys

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A millipede moving in an 's'-shape across a bright green leaf. The caption tells us: "This trait is so rare, it has only been observed in one other millipede family from South America, not closely related to the newly described Thailand species." The photo is by Ruttapon Srisonchai.

This trait is so rare, it has only been observed in one other millipede family from South America, not closely related to the newly described Thailand species.

#InvertebrateSys

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A dark brown millipede resting on a rocky surface, its many legs of different lengths splayed out around it. Text reads: "Researchers have uncovered several striking specimens of dragon millipede in Thailand featuring alternately long and short legs, a trait known as ‘heteropody’, previously unseen in this group." The photo is by Ruttapon Srisonchai.

Researchers uncovered several striking specimens of dragon millipede in Thailand featuring alternately long & short legs, a trait known as ‘heteropody’, previously unseen in this group.

They published their findings in Invertebrate Systematics: www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS25007

#InvertebrateSys

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Images depicting morphological differences found between species within the Perinereis cultrifera complex of marine worms, with figure legends, indicating this is an image from a scientific paper. A caption invites us to read the research article, titled "A sea of worms: the striking cases of the European Perinereis cultrifera and P. rullieri (Annelida: Nereididae) species complexes, with description of 13 new species", in Invertebrate Systematics. The photo is by Marcos Teixeira.

Read the research article:

A sea of worms: the striking cases of the European Perinereis cultrifera and P. rullieri (Annelida: Nereididae) species complexes, with description of 13 new species

Published in Invertebrate Systematics:
www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS24059

#InvertebrateSys

6/6

Now Marcos is working in the Red Sea at BEM Lab, contributing to the construction of a DNA barcode reference library for marine invertebrates, as well as to the descriptions of polychaete species in the region.

#InvertebrateSys

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Prostomium, exposed pharynx and jaws, paragnath patterns, parapodia photos from different parts of the worm’s body and chaeta types in Perinereis cultrifera subspecies, with notes on the animals' length and figure legends, indicating this is an image from a scientific paper. The photo is by Marcos Teixeira.

19 molecular lineages were documented & 13 are new to science.

New species naming inspiration came from the whole team, including reference to 2 of Marcos’ favourite games, Elden Ring & NieR: Automata, as well as local folklore from the regions the worms were collected from.

#InvertebrateSys

4/6

Images depicting morphological differences found between species within the Perinereis cultrifera complex of marine worms, with figure legends, indicating this is an image from a scientific paper. A quote by Marcos Teixeira, co-author of the research from University of Minho, Portugal, reads: "In this chapter of my thesis, I explored the genus Perinereis, which is quite abundant in rocky intertidal areas in Portugal and the rest of Europe. After detecting several molecular lineages using DNA barcodes, morphological features typically overlooked in the identification of this group were also identified and used in their formal taxonomic description." The photo is by Marcos Teixeira.

“In this chapter of my thesis, I explored the genus Perinereis,” Marcos said. “After detecting several molecular lineages using DNA barcodes, morphological features typically overlooked in the identification of this group were identified & used in their taxonomic description.”

#InvertebrateSys

3/6

Invertebrate Systematics

During an investigation of marine worms in the Mediterranean Sea & Canary Islands, Marcos Teixeira, University of Minho, Portugal, was part of an international research team research who identified & described these species, now documented in #InvertebrateSys:

www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS24059

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Photos of some of the analysed species within the Perinereis cultrifera complex of marine worms, with notes on the animals' length and figure legends, indicating this is an image from a scientific paper. A caption reads: "Found along rocky shorelines, Perinereis cultrifera—previously thought to be part of a cryptic species complex of polychaete marine worms—is widely utilised in physiological and biochemical research. New research published in Invertebrate Systematics documents and describes the species." The photo is by Marcos Teixeira.

Found along rocky shorelines, P. cultrifera—previously thought to be part of a cryptic species complex of polychaete marine worms—is widely utilised in physiological and biochemical research.

#InvertebrateSys

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A screenshot of figures from the research article, depicting various images of the scallop seen on previous slides, with the caption: "The research was published in the article ‘Integrative morphological, mitogenomic and phylogenetic analyses reveal new vent-dwelling scallop species’. Read the article in Invertebrate Systematics."

Read 'Integrative morphological, mitogenomic and phylogenetic analyses reveal new vent-dwelling scallop species' by Yi-Tao Lin, Ying-Bei Peng, @squamiferum.bsky.social, Ting Xu & Jian-Wen Qiu in Invertebrate Systematics:

www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS24091

#InvertebrateSys
Photo: Yi-Tao Lin

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A close up of a delicate, completely translucent, glass-like scallop shell. Photo: Yi-Tao Lin

So delicate.

#InvertebrateSys
Photo: Yi-Tao Lin

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A photograph of a scallop shell, delicate and translucent like glass, with the caption "The mollusc, with its delicate glass-like shell, is new to science and part of a small, poorly studied genus." Photo: Yi-Tao Lin

The mollusc, with its glass-like shell, is new to science and part of a small and poorly studied genus.

The discovery was made while the researchers were operating a remote-controlled underwater robot to explore an area at over 900 meters below sea level.

#InvertebrateSys
Photo: Yi-Tao Lin

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A delicate scallop lies next to a ruler, indicating it is no larger than 20 millimeters long. A caption explains: "Researchers found a translucent scallop living in a deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystem in the northern Okinawa Trough, near the Tokara Islands in Japan." Photo: Yi-Tao Lin

Researchers found a translucent scallop living in a deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystem in the northern Okinawa Trough, near the Tokara Islands in Japan.

They recorded their findings in Invertebrate Systematics: www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS24091

#InvertebrateSys
Photo: Yi-Tao Lin

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Integrative morphological, mitogenomic and phylogenetic analyses reveal new vent-dwelling scallop species Delectopecten is a small genus of the family Pectinidae (Bivalvia: Pectinida) that remains poorly studied in terms of both morphology and phylogeny. Here, we describe the first member of this genus fr...

Read more about the newly described vent-dwelling scallop species mentioned in this article in our journal #InvertebrateSys:

www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS24091

The Last Word On Nothing Anyone else having trouble focusing? Me, too. This week, while trying to write this blog post, I spent an inappropriate amount of time looking at prepared meal delivery services with no plan to purchase anything. The food just looked so calm and pretty in its little jars.

“I am comforted to know that somewhere far from the surface world, there are strange, miraculous creatures that live without a thought of me.”

Science writer @applepieandink.bsky.social explores new #InvertebrateSys research.

www.lastwordonnothing.com/2025/02/14/something-nic...