USP researcher working with MAGNT Expert to Help Identify South Pacific Fish Species

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) curator of fishes and gobioid fish expert Dr Helen Larson has been training Mr David Boseto, a graduate assistant in science at the University of the South Pacific (USP) for the last two weeks to identify fish species.

“David has brought specimens from Fiji and the Solomon Islands and some recently collected during a survey of rivers on an uninhabited island in the western Solomon Islands, Tetepare,” Dr Larson said.

“Tetepare Island is the largest uninhabited tropical island in the world at around 120 sq kilometres.

“While training David to identify the fish found in the survey we came across a small gobioid fish that so far defies accurate identification.

“Dubbed by the scientists as the “Noodle Fish” it is different from any other gobioid fish I have ever seen, and we are struggling to put it in a family.

“Because it is a single specimen, we cannot use destructive techniques like “clearing and staining”, which makes the fish much easier to study and we will have to collect another specimen before it can be described. ''

Dr Larson said being a gobioid fish expert, the study of the fish gathered in the survey was one of the most exciting things about David’s visit. She added that David’s training in taxonomy would create further links between the western Pacific and the NT.

“There are very few Pacific Islanders who have become zoological research scientists, and none are taxonomists, so to have David here for training in taxonomy is fantastic.”

Dr Larson said that David would work with her for a further two weeks, during which they would study several new species of Pacific gobiids, with an eye to preparing one or more publications in the future.

In September 2006, a Wetlands International and University of the South Pacific team spent 10 days on the island of Tetepare in the Western Solomon Islands surveying fresh and estuarine environments and training rangers for the Tetepare Descendents Association.

This successful survey not only found several new taxa to science but provided a measured glimpse of a virtually pristine tropical aquatic ecosystem and the abundance of life that it can support.

David was very grateful to MAGNT for financial support and training, as well as USP and Wetlands International for additional support. He is one of several indigenous Pacific Islanders being trained as taxonomists and conservation scientists under an initiative of the South Pacific Regional Herbarium of USP's Institute of Applied Science, funded by the MacArthur Foundation in the United States.  Besides freshwater fish, students have also been training in corals, marine fish, insects (beetles), birds, frogs, palms and other plants.

Pacific island countries are making determined efforts to preserve their biodiversity but are hindered by a lack or local taxonomists and conservation scientists, said IAS Professor Bill Aalbersberg.

"Much existing research has been done by overseas scientists and data are often not available in the country where the work is done.  Efforts are being made to form joint teams with world experts so the training and mentoring is of the highest quality possible.''

Mr Marika Tuiwawa, Curator of the Herbarium, is currently part of a large French team assessing biodiversity of Vanuatu’s largest Island, Espiritu Santo.  Many new species have already been found.  When reported to neighboring communities a great deal of pride was generated and greater commitment to conserve.

This USP initiative in 2006 received further support from the Darwin Initiative in the United Kingdom and from the New Zealand government.  Seven additional students will receive taxonomy and conservation training under these two projects.

This news item was published on 27 Nov 2006 08:37:21 am. For more information, please contact Marketing & Communications Office. For any High-Res Images, please contact Marketing & Communications Office.

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