Long-spine porcupine fish
The Long-spine porcupine fish inflates its body by pumping water into its stomach to ward of predators. During the process its spines, which usually lie flat against its body, poke out giving it a...
View ArticleAlfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913)
Naturalist and co-discoverer of natural selection, Alfred R. Wallace is one of history's greatest scientific adventurer explorers. He was born on 8 January, 1823, in Usk, Wales. Image: Wallace Online
View ArticleThe Wallace Line
In 1854, Wallace left for the Malay Archipelago to work as a specimen collector. Over a period of eight years, he made many expeditions across the islands and observed and collected over 125,000...
View ArticleDiscovering new species
Wallace discovered the rare Borneo bay cat. It was first thought to be a kitten of Felis temmincki of Sumatra and Nepaul, but its skull suggested it to be a full-grown animal and his initial hypothesis...
View ArticleTricholglossus Flavoviridis
Commonly known as the Citrine lorikeet, Wallace first obtained this bird for research in Menado, the capital city of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. He noticed their population was more abundant in the Sula...
View ArticleA collection of insects
Wallace identified thousands of insect species across the Malay Archipelago. He found a majority of these insects inhabited forest vegetation. Smaller islands that cultivated specific plants such as...
View ArticleSwallowtail butterflies
Wallace studied many butterfly specimens. He observed a range of details, including their distinctive markings, colours, wing span and larvae. This drawing illustrates Papilio gigon and Papilio...
View ArticleFlying frog
During his visit to Borneo, Wallace observed what he described in his letters as "one of the most curious and interesting reptiles [sic]". Flying frogs (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus) live in the trees of...
View ArticleMap of Neath
Trained by his eldest brother William, he developed a keen eye for detail in drawing and mapping his surroundings. His exposure to the outdoors sparked an interest in botany and geology. In 1845, he...
View ArticleThe Darwin connection
This diary entry is one of the many records Wallace made throughout his scientific endeavours: NB The MSS. of my Paper sent to Darwin and printed in the Journal of the Linnean Society, was not returned...
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