1954 Chatham Islands expedition

Research expedition to the Chatham Islands in 1954 April 2024 April 2024 ALL The 1954 Chatham Islands expedition was a research expedition organised by George Knox of the University of Canterbury to explore the distribution of benthic and pelagic marine fauna living between the Chatham Islands / Rēkohu and the eastern coast of New Zealand. Origin The idea for the expedition came from George Knox.13 February 1954 Discoveries at Chathams https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19540213.2.67 28 July 2024 Press 6 Papers Past Funding was received from the New Zealand Oceanographic Committee, via the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).22 January 1954 Expedition to Chathams https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19540122.2.33 31 July 2024 Press 6 Papers Past Expedition The expedition took place in January and February 1954.Q66412141Q66412054 The vessel used to undertake this expedition was the MV Alert. The Alert, which had been used for other scientific expeditions,2016-07-03 Dick Dell and the fantastic frilled crab https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2016/07/04/dick-dell-and-the-fantastic-frilled-crab/ 2024-07-31 Te Papa’s Blog en-NZ was specially fitted out for this expedition with dredging and trawling equipment, a winch and specially designed sorting benches.24 March 1954 Expedition to Chathams https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19540324.2.69 31 July 2024 Press 10 Papers Past On its way to the Chathams the expedition did oceanographic work on the Mernoo Bank on the Chatham Rise, the area of sea bed between Banks Peninsula and the Chatham Islands. They visited a number of locations on Rekohu (the main island) including Owenga, Kaingaroa, Waitangi, Petre Bay, Te Whanga Lagoon and Port Hutt. Scientists also landed on the smaller islands of South East (Rangatira) Island, Pitt Island, The Sisters and the Forty-Fours. Members John Yaldwyn, crustacea Richard Dell, molluscs George Alexander Knox, polychaetes David McNiven Garner, hydrology Ray Forster, terrestrial invertebrates Betty Batham, marine biologyScientific expedition to the Chatham Islands https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23529615 2024-07-27 tiaki.natlib.govt.nz Daphne Marshall, photographer John Munne Moreland, marine ichthyologist John McIntyre, marine biology Elliot Watson Dawson, oceanography and birds A.J. Black, ship's master Members of the expedition came from several different institutions: University of Canterbury, Canterbury Museum, Dominion Museum, Victoria University, the DSIR, Portobello Marine Laboratory and the University of Otago Medical School. Results The expedition collected thousands of specimens of both land and marine fauna including over 150 new species. Over 1200 specimens from the expedition are held by Te Papa.Chatham Islands Expedition (1954) https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/agent/19876 2024-07-28 collections.tepapa.govt.nz Photographs taken by Dawson are held in the Alexander Turnbull Library. Dell named a deep water snail after the expedition ship and its master Alertalex blacki while another snail was named Chathamidia expeditionis after the expedition. Bibliography The following publications resulted from the expedition: Yaldwyn John 1954 Nephrops challengeri Balss, 1914, (Crustacea, Decapoda, Reptantia) from New Zealand and Chatham Island Waters https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/TPRSNZ1954-82.2.9.12 Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 82 721 Papers Past Knox G. A. 1954 The Intertidal Flora and Fauna of the Chatham Islands https://www.nature.com/articles/174871a0 Nature en 174 4436 871–873 10.1038/174871a0 0028-0836 subscription Dawson E.W. 1955 Birds of the Chatham Islands https://www.birdsnz.org.nz/publications/the-birds-of-the-chatham-islands-1954-expedition/ Notornis 6 3 78-82 Brewin Beryl I. 1956 Ascidians from the Chatham Islands and the Chatham Rise https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/TPRSNZ1956-84.2.4.13 Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 84 121 Papers Past Knox, G. A. (1957). General account of the Chatham Islands 1954 expedition by G.A. Knox. New Zealand. Department of Scientific Industrial Research. Pike, R. B. (1961). A new bopyrid parasite collected by the Chatham Islands 1954 expedition. New Zealand. Marine Department. Biological results of the Chatham Islands 1954 expedition. (1960–1972). Wellington: New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Parts 1–7. See also 1924 Chatham Islands expedition References External links Biological Results of The Chatham Islands 1954 Expedition, ourheritage.ac.nz – Photo of the M.V. Alert at the Seven Sisters Three men carrying a crate onto the wharf at Lyttelton Port. Scientific expedition to Chatham Islands, 1954. Te Ūaka, the Lyttelton Museum Category:Expeditions from New Zealand Category:History of the Chatham Islands Chatham Islands Chatham Islands