Professor Kip Will, from the University of California, Berkeley is visiting Australia as part of a partnership between the Western Australian Museum, Fortescue, and the Foundation for the WA Museum involving research on carabid beetles in the Pilbara region. Murdoch University's Harry Butler Institute is delighted to host a guest lecture with Professor Will exploring his deep knowledge of carabid beetles and why fundamental taxonomic science is critical to modern conservation efforts and biosecurity.
Abstract
Carabid beetles are a hyperdiverse lineage, with particularly high species richness in Australia. This presentation will provide an overview of the group and highlight current research spanning phylogeny, chemical ecology, fossil taxa, life-history evolution, and conservation biology. Drawing on selected case studies, the talk will demonstrate why rigorous, professional taxonomy is essential for understanding species boundaries, assessing conservation status, and setting management priorities. Data deficiencies and undocumented diversity can distort distributional patterns, obscure endemism, and compromise threat assessments. It will conclude by outlining our ongoing Pilbara-focused initiative and discuss how it can serve as a scalable model for strengthening taxonomic capacity.
About the speaker
Kip Will is a professor and Insect Systematist at the University of California, Berkeley, a co-author of the Carabidae of Australia - covering the more than 320 genera, the Field Guide to California Insects, over 100 other scientific publications that mostly centre on various aspects of carabid beetles worldwide, and his children's book about bombardier beetles. His work ranges from fossils and morphology to genomes. He has a passion for fieldwork and collecting, and his efforts have taken him around the world. In recent years, his work has focused on western North America and Australia.
Lecture details
Time and Date: Thursday 2 April 2026, 10:30am-12pm
Format: In-person lecture followed by Q&A
Venue: Murdoch University Boola Katitjin Level 3, room 360.3.002
Cost: Free
