Developing a database of Australian grasshopper occurrences from historic field survey notebooks spanning 54 years (Orthoptera: Acrididae, Morabidae, Pyrgomorphidae, Tetrigidae)

The baseline distribution data for all species of a given group in region can provide fundamental insights into biogeographic questions about historic patterns richness, population trends and extinction. Grasshoppers are one major insects which continent-wide perspective on their geographic be obtained. This is because they were extensively surveyed Australia 54 years (1936–1989) as part Commonwealth expeditions to obtain specimens the Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC). Field notebooks recorded from those surveys, under direction ANIC curator director K. H. L. Key, form principal source records grasshoppers Australia. We digitised 223 (2486 pages) transcribed field trips conducted Western (WA) Tasmania (47 notebooks, 590 pages). then carefully geocoded sampling sites following odometer readings descriptions routes suitable reference point using topographic maps Google Earth. In total, we extracted 8975 coordinates 477 having confirmed or putative taxonomic name at genus level (only 170 these have been formally described). found that richness varied spatially, with highest arid interior north WA. Historic grasshopper surveys non-randomly distributed across both WA survey intensity around coastal regions. Variation was observed among surveyors terms number detected per site, between-site distance season being conducted. Overall, however, dataset most comprehensive invertebrates will greatly facilitate future work ecology, biogeography, conservation responses environmental change.