Australian Taxonomist Leaves Legacy of 1,000+ Species Described
Mark Harvey's love affair with arachnids began on August 16th, 1977 when at the age of 18 he picked up his first pseudoscorpion from under a rock in western Victoria. The tiny creature was preserved in ethanol and would prove to be the starting point for a career that would see him become one of only a handful of people globally to describe over 1,000 new species.
Harvey's fascination with the intricate world of arachnids stems from their complexity and ancient lineage, with fossils dating back hundreds of millions of years. The fact that they can run faster in reverse than forwards also holds a special appeal for this enthusiast basketball player.
Since then Harvey has spent decades honing his skills as a taxonomist, working tirelessly to catalog and name the world's most obscure arachnids. His dedication has earned him recognition from his peers, with 45 species named after him. The Western Australian Museum in Perth where he has worked for much of his career has become his second home.
Despite officially retiring earlier this year, Harvey still feels an overwhelming sense of responsibility to leave a lasting legacy that will aid conservation efforts. He is deeply troubled by the decline of arachnid populations due to habitat loss, climate change, and bushfires. With a backlog of work spanning multiple decades, Harvey hopes to continue his contributions for many years to come.
Currently 18 species shy of reaching the thousand mark, Harvey remains steadfast in his pursuit of discovery. "I have another ten years in me," he confidently asserts. As long as there are still new species waiting to be uncovered and described, Mark Harvey will remain at the forefront of arachnid taxonomy, leaving behind a lasting legacy for generations to come.
Mark Harvey's love affair with arachnids began on August 16th, 1977 when at the age of 18 he picked up his first pseudoscorpion from under a rock in western Victoria. The tiny creature was preserved in ethanol and would prove to be the starting point for a career that would see him become one of only a handful of people globally to describe over 1,000 new species.
Harvey's fascination with the intricate world of arachnids stems from their complexity and ancient lineage, with fossils dating back hundreds of millions of years. The fact that they can run faster in reverse than forwards also holds a special appeal for this enthusiast basketball player.
Since then Harvey has spent decades honing his skills as a taxonomist, working tirelessly to catalog and name the world's most obscure arachnids. His dedication has earned him recognition from his peers, with 45 species named after him. The Western Australian Museum in Perth where he has worked for much of his career has become his second home.
Despite officially retiring earlier this year, Harvey still feels an overwhelming sense of responsibility to leave a lasting legacy that will aid conservation efforts. He is deeply troubled by the decline of arachnid populations due to habitat loss, climate change, and bushfires. With a backlog of work spanning multiple decades, Harvey hopes to continue his contributions for many years to come.
Currently 18 species shy of reaching the thousand mark, Harvey remains steadfast in his pursuit of discovery. "I have another ten years in me," he confidently asserts. As long as there are still new species waiting to be uncovered and described, Mark Harvey will remain at the forefront of arachnid taxonomy, leaving behind a lasting legacy for generations to come.
i mean what's not to love about someone who's passionate about tiny creatures like pseudoscorpions? 
his dedication to conservation is really admirable, especially given the decline of arachnid populations due to climate change & habitat loss. hope he reaches that 1000th species soon! and btw, can you imagine having a job where you get to run faster in reverse than forwards? 
anyway, Mark Harvey's legacy will surely inspire future generations to keep exploring & discovering new things 
he's an inspiration to us all & i love how passionate he is about his work 
let's give it up for Mark Harvey! 
it's crazy to think about how one person can make such a massive impact on our understanding of the natural world. mark harvey's dedication to his work is truly inspiring - i mean, who wouldn't want to spend their life studying something as fascinating as arachnids? 
the fact that he's already named over 900 species is mind-blowing, and it's clear that his passion project will continue for many years to come. 
like mark harvey's story is literally my spirit animal lol he started w/ this tiny pseudoscorpion at 18 & now he's described over 1k species!!! talk about a passion project 
i feel so bad 4 the decline of arachnid populations tho habitat loss, climate change... it's all so tragic 
anyway, i'm def rooting for mark harvey to reach that 1000th spec & leave a lasting legacy 
what's up with those pseudoscorpions they're like tiny little robots or something? 
anyway i'm glad mark harvey is still going strong after all these years his dedication to arachnid taxonomy is really inspiring, especially given how much of a challenge it must be. and can you believe he's got 45 species named after him that's amazing! 
what's the most frustrating part about describing new species do you think? 
I'm surprised they didn't mention that Mark Harvey is also an avid collector of Pokémon cards back in the day 
. Anyway, it's awesome that he's still going strong despite being 18 species shy of his goal 
. By the way, did they mention what kind of basketball shoes he wears when he's not spinning webs 
can you believe he's got over 1k species under his belt?! It's wild to think about all the tiny creatures he's spent his life studying and naming. I mean, I'm no expert but even I know how important conservation is, especially when it comes to these ancient creatures 
1k species isn't that impressive tbh, i mean what's next? 10k? or is this just some guys ego trip? he's been doing this job for decades and still thinks he can make a dent in the arachnid world? 
what i love most about mark harvey is that even though he's officially retired, he's still got a fire in him to make sure conservation efforts are on track. it's amazing how one person can make such a difference in the world of science and beyond. 
... gotta wonder how many more species are still waiting to be discovered 
... I mean, I guess it's good that he's passionate about it and all that jazz, but 18 species shy of 1,000? That's like me saying I'm almost done with my bucket list, can't wait to get to the part where I have to spend even more time stuck at home 
. And don't even get me started on the whole "leaving a lasting legacy" thing... like it's not just going to end up as some dusty old book or museum exhibit no one's ever gonna visit 
.
has he been hiding under that rock in WA or something?! I mean, I guess it's cool that he's still going strong at 50+ but like, come on Mark! You've got to get this done before you're too old for your own good!