New Zealand Arthropod Collection facts for kids
| Ko te Aitanga Pepeke o Aotearoa | |
| Established | 1920s |
|---|---|
| Location | 231 Morrin Rd, St Johns, Auckland 1072, New Zealand |
| Collection size | 7 million specimens |
The New Zealand Arthropod Collection is a special place in Auckland, New Zealand. It's like a huge library, but instead of books, it holds millions of tiny creatures! These creatures are called land animals without backbones, like insects, spiders, and other arthropods.
This amazing collection is looked after by Maanaki Whenua – Landcare Research. It helps scientists learn about all the different bugs that live in New Zealand. It also helps them identify new bugs that arrive from other countries.
Contents
Discovering New Zealand's Tiny Creatures
What's Inside the Collection?
The New Zealand Arthropod Collection (often called NZAC) has over 7 million specimens! Each specimen is a preserved insect, spider, or other arthropod. Scientists use these specimens to study and understand the amazing world of New Zealand's bugs.
This collection is so important that it's known as one of New Zealand's Nationally Significant Collections. This means it's a very valuable resource for the whole country. It helps protect New Zealand's unique nature.
Why is the Collection Important?
The NZAC helps scientists with taxonomy. Taxonomy is the science of naming, describing, and classifying living things. By studying the specimens, scientists can figure out what kind of bug something is. They can also see how different bugs are related to each other.
The collection also helps identify exotic species. These are bugs that come from other countries. Sometimes, these new bugs can be harmful to New Zealand's plants or animals. Identifying them quickly helps protect the environment.
How Can You Learn More?
The NZAC shares its knowledge with everyone. They create helpful guides for the public. These include:
- Insect factsheets: These are simple papers with information about different bugs.
- The "What is this bug" website: You can visit this website to help identify bugs you find.
- Amazing illustrations: An artist named Des Helmore draws very detailed pictures of insects. These drawings help people see what the bugs look like up close.
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Mitophyllus parrianus is a type of stag beetle.
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Microvelia macgregori is a tiny water strider.
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Platisus zelandicus is a type of fungus weevil.
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Lasiorhynchus barbicornis is also known as the New Zealand giraffe weevil.
