Wikipedia talk:WikiProject New Zealand/Critter of the Week

Opacuincola gretathunbergae

Hello all, I wanted to drop by and say how much I love this WikiProject! This project actually got me to start listening to the series (I am based in the UK). As a thank you, I started a stub for Opacuincola gretathunbergae, but I wondered if a member would be able to double check it for me? I usually work on biographies, but have worked on a couple of other species that are named after women. Many thanks Lajmmoore (talk) 16:50, 19 October 2022 (UTC)

Hey there; thank you so much for starting that article, and I've just had a go at improving it. I zoomed in on the paper and screenshotted more images, which I've added to Commons and placed in the article as a gallery. I noticed the authors used a basic CC BY licence in the article so adjusted the photos you uploaded to match. And I added the nice quote from them explaining why they honoured Greta Thunberg. —Giantflightlessbirds (talk) 04:28, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

Images of Falla's skink

Hello! Would someone be able to take a look at the images I uploaded to commons of the skink and check I've connected them to INaturalist OK? I used the batch uploader, but got confused. There are from here & were uploaded by Auckland Museum initially. I've added one to the Wikipedia page already. Thanks Lajmmoore (talk) 17:12, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

Kiwaia "Cloudy Bay" moth

@Ambrosia10: Kia ora. Could you please have a look at the note I have added to the row for Kiwaia "Cloudy Bay" moth - it was featured on the RNZ Critter programme that aired on 15 December. I haven't been able to clearly determine if this is a new species (not yet formally identified), or new sub-species, or if it is actually Kiwaia jeanae. I hope you can help clear this up.Marshelec (talk) 19:40, 3 January 2024 (UTC)

Kia ora @Marshelec and happy new year! I've edited the note. This moth is probably a new species but has yet to be scientifically described. I've edited the note you've added to help clarify this. The fact this moth hasn't been taxonomically investigated causes problems for us when we attempt to create an article for it. I would argue it is notable given the press coverage but I normally tend to wait until it is formally described before creating an article. There might be other articles relating to undescribed species which we can use for guidance. Perhaps we should get some guidance from @Giantflightlessbirds? Ambrosia10 (talk) 20:53, 3 January 2024 (UTC)

I concur with Siobhan. In the past we've created articles for undescribed species, like Cobble skink, but only when they've had plenty of media coverage and are well known by their common name. The Cloudy Bay mat daisy jumper (as opposed to other mat daisy jumper moths) is indeed an undescribed species discovered in 1999 and has had some press coverage:

• DOC (Sep 22, 2021) ‘New finds of Marlborough moth feared extinct’
• Dugdale, J.S. (2001) ‘Cloudy Bay Coastal Habitats: Entomological Values of the Foreshore and Associated Inland Habitats’, Department of Conservation, 49.
• Hart, Maia (Sep 23, 2021) ‘Rediscovery of tiny Marlborough moth feared extinct 'hugely exciting'’, Stuff.co.nz.
• Morrison, Natalie (Aug 9, 2023) ‘Rare limestone species receive extra-special care’, QEII National Trust.
• Marlborough.govt.nz: ‘Biodiversity 2018 research bid – Kiwaia ‘Cloudy Bay’

So it might be worth creating an article based on these sources (but I wouldn't use the tag name Kiwaia 'Cloudy Bay'). Giantflightlessbirds (talk) 01:33, 4 January 2024 (UTC)