How many spiders and pseudoscorpions does it take to make one of the world's greatest taxonomists?

For most people around the world, 16 August 1977 may never be remembered for its significance in music or pop culture history, but for Dr Mark Harvey, an 18-year-old Australian, it marked a pivotal moment that would shape his future career as one of the world's leading arachnologists. That day was special because he collected his very first pseudoscorpion - a tiny and ancient relative of the spider he had found under a rock in western Victoria.

Harvey's fascination with animals and bugs started when he was just a kid, often collecting insects from local creeks to bring back home. This childhood hobby laid the groundwork for his future success as a taxonomist, who is tasked with discovering, defining, cataloguing, and naming species.

Over the years, Harvey has been fortunate enough to have described more than 1,000 new species - many of them arachnids like spiders, pseudoscorpions, and scorpions. His most recent additions brought his total count to an impressive 1,015. These species are catalogued in scientific journals and contribute significantly to the field of taxonomy.

For Harvey, describing a new species is no easy feat. He attributes it to his keen eye for detail, memory, and a passion for arachnids. Pseudoscorpions, in particular, hold a special place in his heart due to their complexity, ancient lineage, and ability to run faster backwards than forwards - a skill he appreciates as an avid basketball fan.

As one of the few taxonomists in Australian history to have reached this milestone, Harvey is undoubtedly one of the greatest taxonomists of his generation. His legacy extends beyond just scientific achievements but also includes being a mentor and science leader in the field of taxonomy.

Despite having retired earlier this year, Harvey still has a significant backlog of work, including around 10 manuscripts on the go. He hopes to describe about 60 new species through one manuscript that runs for 400 pages, which is expected to be published soon. Despite his retirement, he feels like he can still contribute significantly to the scientific community.

In recent years, Harvey has been troubled by the rapid decline in many animal populations due to habitat loss, climate change, and bushfires. He believes it's essential to document these species before they disappear forever.

As for the pseudoscorpion Harvey collected as his very first specimen, it remains in a jar at the Western Australian Museum, waiting to be described. Although he can't tell if it's new, he has high hopes that scientists may one day discover more about this tiny creature.

I just got back from the most random road trip with my friends and we saw some crazy old trees that were like, totally covered in moss . It made me think about how humans are always trying to document and categorize things, like species and stuff . But what if we missed something? Like, what if there's this tiny creature living under one of these old trees that nobody knows about yet? . I don't know, it just got me thinking... maybe we should all be more like Dr Mark Harvey and go on a wild bug hunt .

omg I just thought of something ... have you guys ever seen those movies where scientists are like super smart and stuff? like, what's the deal with their labs and how do they even get all that info out of these tiny creatures? is like, so cool but I'm more of a pizza topping kinda guy myself lol. anyway back to this arachnologist dude... isn't it wild that he gets to name species? it's like having a superhero alter ego but instead of cape it's a fancy title and a scientific journal . and omg the idea that there are 1,015 new species waiting to be discovered is just mind-blowing I need to learn more about this guy and his work!

can you believe this guy is 18 when he catches that pseudoscorpion? and now he's like a taxonomist rockstar with over 1000 species under his belt still amazing how he gets so excited about bugs, i mean, i'd rather be playing basketball too what's up with the speed of those pseudoscorpions though, run backwards faster than forwards?

I remember collecting bugs as a kid and bringing them home for my parents to freak out over... like, what is this thing?! Now you're telling me some guy collected his first pseudoscorpion at 18 and that's a big deal? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's cool and all, but I'd have thought that by now we'd have more info on those little guys... guess not! Anyway, it's awesome that he's made such an impact in his field, especially since taxonomy is like the ultimate nerd career . I'm actually kinda jealous that he gets to be a mentor and science leader - I wish I had found my passion at 18 instead of waiting till my mid-30s!

omg u guyz i was literally just thinkin bout how cool its to have a career as an arachnologist lol like dr mark harvey is literally the coolest ever 1000+ new species?? thats insane!! i always knew bugs were fascinating but idk how u guys make it sound so interesting i mean idc what pseudoscorpions can do bc they cant run faster backwards than forwards lol jk but seriously tho its wild how much he's contributed to science and hes still got 10 manuscripts goin on despite havin retired haha like the man is still bringin it

this guy's obsession with arachnids is kinda cool i guess but what really gets me is how passionate he is about preserving species before they're extinct like, we gotta take care of our planet and all its creatures, not just the ones that are gonna make it big in science and 1,015 new species? that's a lot of tiny creatures but honestly, who's counting when there's so much work to be done

oh man 1k new species is crazy i feel like harvey is literally changing the game for arachnologists and taxonomy... his passion for bugs is so inspiring especially with climate change affecting animal populations, it's great that he's still contributing to science after retiring

I'm low-key obsessed with arachnologists like Dr Mark Harvey ! 1,015 new species is insane! He must've spent years studying those tiny creatures and it's awesome that he still has a backlog of work after retiring . I feel for him though, habitat loss and climate change are real issues affecting many animal populations . As someone who loves animals (and basketball ), I think it's so cool that Dr Harvey is passionate about documenting these species before they disappear forever #AnimalConservation #TaxonomyMatters

I'm so over this whole taxonomist thing . I mean, who gets excited about naming species of bugs? Mark Harvey, apparently! And 1,015 new species is just a big deal because... what? He's old now? That's not a reason to celebrate, if you ask me . It's like he's trying to one-up everyone else by just keeping track of every single bug on the planet . Newsflash: most people can't even get excited about their kid's math homework, let alone some dude naming bugs all day. And don't even get me started on how he's still working after "retiring" . I guess that's just what you call when you're too good at your job to ever really stop . Anyway, yay Mark Harvey and his pseudoscorpions! Can we move on now?

this guy Mark Harvey is literally the ultimate bug geek - collecting insects as a kid and now having 1,015 new species under his belt what's crazy is how much passion and dedication he put into his work, from his first pseudoscorpion at age 18 to still going strong even after retirement I mean, it's amazing how one person can make such a significant impact on our understanding of the tiny creatures that surround us. And on top of all this, he's also a basketball fan - who knew spiders could be cool?

I'm loving this story about Dr Mark Harvey! He's like a real-life superhero for arachnids . I mean, who wouldn't want to spend their life collecting and naming bugs? It sounds so cool! He's been doing it for ages and has already discovered over 1,000 new species - that's insane!

I love how he's still going strong even though he's retired . I guess you're never too old to chase your passion . And can you believe those pseudoscorpions are like ancient dinosaurs? They've been around for ages!

It's really admirable that he's not just focused on his own work, but also helping to document species before they disappear . Climate change and habitat loss are such big issues, and we need more people like Dr Harvey who care about the planet .

What I find most interesting is how he sees himself in a bigger picture - as a mentor and leader in his field . It's not just about him, it's about sharing his knowledge with others and inspiring the next generation of scientists .

Anyway, I'm rooting for Dr Harvey to finish that 400-page manuscript and discover those 60 new species ! He's an inspiration, for sure

I'm low-key impressed by Dr Mark Harvey's dedication to his work . Collecting just one pseudoscorpion as a teenager turned into an entire career of discovering over 1,000 new species - that's insane! I mean, can you imagine having the patience and attention to detail to study something like that for decades? Plus, he still has so much work to do after "retiring" . It's amazing how his passion for arachnids (I'm not even kidding) has led him to become one of the greatest taxonomists of our time . What I think is really cool about Dr Harvey's story, though, is that he's not just about collecting species - he's also about preserving them before they disappear due to climate change and habitat loss . He's still out there making a difference, even if it's from the "retirement" zone .

lol what's up with these scientists and their pseudoscorpions? like 1,015 species and counting... I guess someone's gotta keep the spider population in check. anywayz, can you imagine having a job where you get to spend all day looking at bugs under rocks? seems kinda cool? idk about me tho, I'd rather be on the basketball court than in the lab

I've always been fascinated by people who are passionate about something and dedicate their lives to it, like Dr Mark Harvey . 1,015 species described? That's mind-blowing! You have to admire his dedication to arachnology, especially when you think about all the work he still has pending after retiring earlier this year .

I also love that he gets to run for a cause he cares about - conservation of animal populations. It's so important we protect these tiny creatures before they disappear . And his passion is infectious! Who wouldn't want to learn more about pseudoscorpions?

What I find interesting is how this 16 August 1977 event shaped his future career. Just that one collection under a rock in western Victoria changed everything for him. You can't help but wonder what other little discoveries might have made a huge impact on our world .

Lastly, it's awesome to see someone who's still contributing significantly to the scientific community even after retirement . Dr Mark Harvey is definitely an inspiration to anyone who loves science and wants to make a difference .