Zoology collection
The mission of the Department of Zoology is to provide an environment, open to all sections of the community, for the extension, sharing and application of knowledge in zoology, through research and teaching of the highest international standard.
The Department of Zoology is distinctive internationally for its focus on whole organism biology (it is one of the few departments of zoology in universities throughout the world). Our staff have international reputations in their areas of expertise and make major contributions to answering fundamental questions in basic and applied research.
For further information go to the Department of Zoology.
Recent Deposits
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Bats, Bioacoustics, & Bat Lures in Brunei Darussalam
Bats are the most diverse mammalian order, second to rodents, with 1400+ species found globally across almost every continent. In the tropics, where it is possible to find more than 60 bat species at a single site, they ... -
Assessment of migration barriers in the eastern Otago region: Perched road culverts, climbing galaxiids and non-migratory galaxiid conservation
New Zealand’s diadromous fish populations face vast networks of road culverts that often limit upstream dispersal as a function of efficient hydrological design. Migration barriers, such as perched pipe culverts, fragment ... -
Dynamic Causal Inference Using a Hardware Implementation of Spiking Neurons
Nervous systems may have originated in the late Ediacaran period to rapidly detect “critical states” of the first predators (or prey) being within striking distance, likely by virtue of electroreception. However as motility ... -
A Computational Model of Transduction Cells in the Vestibular System
The human brain, and even the brains of the lowest vertebrates, are diabolically complex, and complete understanding of these systems would take hundreds of careers to build. One key way of dealing with this complexity is ... -
Predator-Prey Interactions Between Paranephrops zealandicus and Odonata Species in Semi-natural Aquaculture Environments
Interactions between predator and prey contribute towards shaping food webs and can be responsible for the composition of species in an ecosystem. In semi-natural aquaculture ponds, interactions between predators and ... -
Hidden diversity of two intracellular parasites, Microsporidia and Rickettsia, in New Zealand amphipod hosts: patterns and causes
Intracellular parasites, endosymbionts that are specialised to live in host cells, have evolved independently in many different lineages. Endosymbionts can be transmitted vertically and horizontally, and many of them ... -
Habitat selection by feral cats (Felis catus) and three rat species (Rattus spp.) on Stewart Island (Rakiura) and their impacts on native birds
Populations of many native bird species on Stewart Island are in decline, despite the absence of mustelids, which are known bird predators on the mainland of New Zealand. Other bird predators, principally ship rats, possums, ... -
Spatial and temporal genetic structuring in yellow-eyed penguins
Improving our understanding of the forces driving population decline and the processes that affect the dynamics of threatened populations is central to the success of conservation management. The application of genetic ... -
A comparison of site occupancy and morphology between Litoria raniformis in Central Otago, New Zealand and Victoria, Australia
Many amphibian species across the globe are at high risk of extinction. Alien species, overexploitation, land-use change, climate change, chemicals, and infectious diseases are all having devastating effects on amphibians. ... -
The behaviour of the banded dotterel, Charadrius bicinctus.
A comprehensive study has not previously been made of any aspects of the Banded Dotterel's ecology or behaviour. […] Two study areas were used for this research. One was the environs of Lake Wainono (Fig. 1), a small ... -
Does Size Matter? Using Osteology and Ancient DNA to Reconstruct Extinct Diversity in Duvaucel’s Gecko
The dynamic geology and climate of the New Zealand archipelago has had pronounced effects on the evolution of its endemic flora and fauna. However, contemporary biodiversity is depauperate, with previous studies revealing ... -
‘Bring me a shrubbery’: Assessing the habitat preference of mammalian predators in the urban green spaces of New Zealand cities
Within cities, areas of green space, such as patches of forest, play a vital role as habitat for wildlife, and can be especially important for supporting native biodiversity. As such, urban restoration efforts often aim ... -
Biomimetic leg design and passive dynamics of Dolomedes aquaticus
Spiders provide working models for agile, efficient miniature passive-dynamic robots. Joints are extended by haemoplymph (hydraulic) pressure and flexed by muscle-tendon systems. Muscle contraction in the prosoma leads to ... -
The impacts of marine tourism on the behaviour and movement patterns of dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) at Kaikoura, New Zealand
The increase in human activities off the coast of Kaikoura, New Zealand may be altering the behaviour and movement patterns of dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus). The primary aim of this research was to assess the ... -
Distribution, population structure, social organisation, and behaviour of sperm whales off the Kaikoura Coast
The distribution, population structure, social organisation, and behaviour ofsperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) was investigated off the Kaikoura coast between spring 1990 and summer 1992. Acoustic surveys of uniform ... -
Sperm whales at Kaikoura and the effects of whale-watching on their surface and vocal behaviour
Whale-watching has become a globally successful branch of the tourism industry. While there is ample information on its economic importance, there is only scant data on the environmental, social and cultural impact. Kaikoura, ... -
Microhabitat use by the nocturnal, cool-climate gecko Woodworthia “Otago/Southland” in the context of global climate change
Ectotherms, especially terrestrial squamates, rely on suitable microclimatic conditions to maintain critical physiological processes. Selection of appropriate microhabitat determines how well squamates will function in ... -
How mammal exclusion using pest-resistant fencing influences terrestrial invertebrate communities at a New Zealand ecosanctuary
Despite being such important components of healthy functioning ecosystems, invertebrates are often overlooked in ecosystem restoration research, plants usually being the main focal point. There are many factors that can ... -
The impact of sea cage salmon farming on the benthic environment of Big Glory Bay, Stewart Island
Rearing salmon in sea cages can have pronounced localised effects on benthic faunal assemblages and the physicochemical parameters of their environment. These effects result from sedimentation of pelleted feed and the ... -
Estimating population density and habitat selection of rats (Rattus spp.) and abundance of birds on the Otago Peninsula
The introduction of rats (Rattus spp.) and conversion of native forest and scrub have had a devastating effect on the biodiversity of New Zealand’s fauna and flora, threatening many native bird species with extinction. The ...