Morepork Synopsis of Birds", but did not give it a binomial name. German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin described the morepork in 1788. "Morepork" has been designated the official name by the International Ornithological Committee. Both Gerlof Fokko Mees and Ernst Mayr regarded the taxonomy of the boobook owl as extremely challenging, the latter remarking in 1943 that it was "one of the most difficult problems I have ever encountered". In his 1968 book "Nightwatchmen of the Bush and Plain", Australian naturalist David Fleay observed that the boobooks from Tasmania more closely resembled those of New Zealand than those from mainland Australia,
Australasian Arachnological Society Australasian Arachnological Society The Australasian Arachnological Society is a body dedicated to promotion of knowledge and study of arachnids (spiders and other 8-legged arthropods) in the Australasian realm, which includes Australia, New Zealand, South-east Asia, Oceania and the Pacific Islands. Membership is open to all individuals and scientific institutions. The Society maintains a large library of reference books and scientific journals housed at Queensland Museum. The society is informally structured to promote the study of arachnology to amateurs, students, professionals and institutions. The Society was founded by Robert Raven in 1979. The first national meeting was held in 1989 as