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Submit an article to Indago - a peer reviewed journal
Submit an article to Indago - a peer reviewed journal
Submit an article to Indago - a peer reviewed journal
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Culna Articles

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Culna Articles

National Museum researchers describe 62 new species

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In a remarkable contribution to science and biodiversity, six researchers at the National Museum have described 62 new species over the past five years. This is according to results published in the Five-Year Strategic Plan End Term Report for the period ending March 2025.

According to Sharon Snell, CEO of the Museum, these new species have all been described in leading international scientific journals. These discoveries highlight both the richness of our natural heritage and the importance of museum collections. Many of the new species were described following recent field expeditions, but others came to light while curating old museum specimens, some of which were collected many decades ago.

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Arachnids in folklore and myths

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When one looks at a spider, many describe the creature as creepy, scary, venomous or dangerous. On the other hand, many ancient cultures associated the spider with cunning, determination and creation. While scorpions and ticks also feature in a couple of ancient myths, they are not nearly as popular as spiders, with even the scientific name of the taxonomic class that includes all arachnids, Arachnida, named after a character from an ancient Greek myth (Arachne).

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A bit of African flies that bite: From intriguing discovery to modern diversity of Suragina Water Snipe flies

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The Diptera, or True flies, are one of the most diverse groups of insects with over 160 000 species known to science (Evenhuis & Pape 2025). However, if you ask a person on the street how many flies there are they typically answer with “too many” and can usually name about five: house flies, blow flies, mosquitos, crane flies (usually wrongly assumed to be long-legged mosquitos) and horse flies.

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Amplifying voices: How ArtbankSA elevates Black female artists on South Africa’s contemporary art scene

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Introduction

South Africa’s contemporary art scene is a vibrant reflection of its diverse cultural and social landscape. Black female artists, in particular, have played a critical role in redefining artistic narratives, often addressing issues of identity, gender, social justice and historical memory. The Art Bank of South Africa (ArtbankSA), established in 2017 under the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, is instrumental in fostering and supporting these artists.

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