Hokimate Harwood, Researcher, Bicultural Science will be talking about her groundbreaking new research on the kahu huruhuru (feather cloaks) in Te Papa’s collection. In a first for this country, she photographed the microscopic detail of down from the base of feathers of New Zealand birds, creating a database of the structures. Using these images for comparison, she could identify the order, family and sometimes species of cloak feathers that had no distinguishable colour or patterning. Her work revealed some surprising insights.
Pat Brownsey, Research Fellow, Botany. Pat’s special area of expertise is New Zealand ferns and allied plants. He is currently working with Landcare Research to publish the online Flora of New Zealand and develop the New Zealand Virtual Herbarium. In his talk he will be covering the Banks and Solander collections: a benchmark for understanding New Zealand flora.
Rick Webber, Curator Invertebrates is a marine biologist specialising in Crustacea. His topic for the session is Hoppers of the north and hermit crab look-alikes. While his research is mostly on the identity of crabs, lobsters and shrimps and their larvae, he is also researching new species of land hoppers, crustaceans that live on land, and tiny marine crustaceans that are not related to hermit crabs at all, yet copy them in many ways.
To register, use the ‘Book now’ button or phone the office on (04) 381 7051. Door sales also available.
Feature image: Detail from: Kahu kiwi (kiwi feather cloak), New Zealand, maker unknown. Bequest of Mrs E H Blair in memory of her late husband, Archibald Anderson Watt, 1918. Te Papa (ME003714)