Biodiversity

Queensland Museum biodiversity collections contain over 5 million specimens, spanning the entire animal kingdom, from single-celled protozoans to whales and dinosaur fossils collected over a period of 140 years.

The Museum's Centre for Biodiversity is Australia's leading authority on the taxonomy and distribution of tropical and subtropical aquatic and terrestrial animals. The Centre provides authoritative information through publications and consultancies as well as advisory, collection reference and education services.

Research undertaken through the Centre for Biodiversity has potential for medical advancement and significant commercial outcomes.

Spiders continue to form a major focus of interest with the Museum contributing to public understanding through all major media networks and servicing an Australia-wide around the clock emergency service to the identification of spider bites.

A new Molecular Identities Laboratory has been established which allows scientists to undertake molecular research and provides an expanded conduit for gaining external research funding.

The Museum of Tropical Queensland, in Townsville is recognised as the world's most important Acropora database because of its collection of more than 15,500 staghorn corals. International collaborations are undertaken to research these collections, which currently focus on the evolution and persistence of the corals of the Great Barrier Reef and staghorn corals from around the world. Exploration of the resources throughout the South Pacific–Coral Sea recovers natural specimens and artefacts that continue to educate and encourage a greater understanding of Queensland's tropical heritage.

Brisbane Terrestrial Invertebrate Status Review 2005

The Brisbane City Council (BCC), through its Environment & Parks Branch engaged the services of the Queensland Museum (QM)’s Centre for Biodiversity (QCB) to undertake a comprehensive Terrestrial Invertebrate Status Review (TISR) in the City.

The focus of this study was on assessing: