Although moth collecting has been ongoing in Fiji since 1975, one primary reason that the island country's national IUCN Red List is considered incomplete is the lack of sufficient data for Fijian invertebrates. Ongoing habitat loss may be threatening species as yet undiscovered, adding urgency to the wider need for more information about these species.
This project aims to ensure that:
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Preliminary identifications for all physical specimens are verified and curated
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All moth data collected in Fiji is properly catalogued and made available
In addition to serving as a first step toward mobilizing important Fijian biodiversity data, this project will help identify moth specimens collected during other biodiversity surveys and rapid assessments in Fiji and across the Pacific, providing an important baseline data for future moth research.
