Australian Museum Acquires Significant Spiny Crayfish Research Collection

The Australian Museum has acquired the Coughran Crayfish Collection, a research assemblage of spiny freshwater crayfish specimens. The collection was originally gathered by ecologist Dr. Jason Coughran during the early 2000s in northern New South Wales rainforests. Previously held at Southern Cross University in Lismore, the museum retrieved the approximately 100 lots in April 2022. This acquisition ensures long-term preservation and accessibility for scientific study. The collection is particularly valuable as it contains specimens from remote, difficult-to-access locations and documents species vulnerable to habitat destruction and climate change.