As well as an interest in all insects, Flinders biological sciences PhD. Ben Parslow has a fascination for wasps.
The focus of his doctorate research on the wasp genus Gasteruption has accidentally has put him on the trail of describing the 11th species of an endemic Australian wasp genus.
It’s estimated that there are three times the 10,140 or so described species of wasps still to be identified by scientists in Australia.
As such, he was most excited to come across a “really interesting looking wasp” in material loaned from a collection at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
“These Hyptiogaster wasps are uncommonly collected and the material was loaned to myself hidden among other wasps I am borrowing for my PhD research,” he says.
“It was a strange looking wasp and as soon as I saw it, it piqued my interest.
“After checking it against the described material, we were sure it was something new.”
Source: The 11th species of an endemic Australian wasp genus