The taxonomic position of the seed beetles (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae: Gibbobruchus) is historically controversial. A test of the monophyly of Gibbobruchus, a cladistic analysis based on external adult morphological characters, confirmed that the genus is monophyletic and supported by several synapomorphies. This work improves our understanding of one of the largest lineages of plant-feeding insects.

In spiders, the morphology of the male genitalia (palps) is critical to distinguish among species and to infer their genealogical relationships, yet the homologies of these structures are poorly understood. We studied the phylogeny of a group of sheet-weavers and tested alternative hypotheses of palp homologies. Our results confirm the single origin of the study group and its placement as sister to all other sheet-weaving spiders, advancing our understanding of their ancestral palp morphology and evolution.

The phylogenetic investigation of the spider genera Psechrus Thorell, 1878 and Fecenia Simon, 1887, using 28S rRNA and COI, represents the first comprehensive approach to the family Psechridae Simon, 1890, allowing insight into its evolution and diversity. Our results showed Psechridae belonging to Lycosoidea, recovered most morphologically predefined Psechrus species groups as monophyletic, and identified all morphologically hypothesised species using COI barcoding.

The way in which scientists collect insects and other biological specimens can influence how they can be used in the future, especially in regard to genetic and genomic research. We collected ants of varying sizes and from different habitat types into several standard preservatives to determine the best preservative, high percentage ethanol, for anatomical and genetic research. Our findings will help ensure that biological collections made by scientists from around the world have the largest potential scientific value.

The freshwater shrimp family Kakaducarididae was previously considered an ancient group comprising three relict species in northern Australia and north America. This revisionary study synonymises the Kakaducarididae with the Palaemonidaeand assigns all Australian species, including three new species, to the genus Leptopalaemon, a recent lineage estimated to be of late Tertiary origin. The close association of Leptopalaemon with the Arnhem Land plateau/escarpment complex and the highly-restricted distributions of four of the five known species highlight the high conservation value of the genus.

DNA barcoding has been used for species delimitation in a freshwater worm. Short fragments of the genome of unidentified specimens were sequenced to test if they are useful for their identification. The study shows that using data from a single gene can be problematic for the accurate delimitation of a species and emphasises the need for additional supplementary genes as barcodes.