
The Australian Taxonomy
Community Directory
James Buxton

I am an early-career research scientist at Agriculture Victoria, combining the taxonomy of Australian ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) with arthropod pest diagnostics and assisting with the curation of the Victorian Agricultural Insect Collection (VAIC).
My current areas of interest include Victorian ant species, improving Australian Nylanderia identification, exploring molecular and morphological variation in mid-sized Iridomyrmex, revising the Camponotus claripes group (collaboration with WAM researchers), and revising the Rhytidoponera victoriae group.
The Agriculture Victoria diagnostics lab also endeavours to publish first records on a wide variety of arthropod groups, support AVR research, produce improved diagnostic methods, and collaborate with other experts on taxonomic work whenever possible.
In November 2023, I delivered a presentation at the Biosystematics 2023 conference: 'The taxonomic potential of integrating morphological and molecular approaches to enhance ant (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) identifications for biosecurity.'
I hope to encourage the integration of biosecurity and taxonomic work in Australia as well as improve our ability to appreciate the importance of ants, among the most diverse and ecologically dominant members of Australian terrestrial ecosystems. I am especially keen to collaborate with ecology projects, which so often find the importance of exciting findings associated with ant interactions and changes to assemblage structure limited by a lack of species-level understanding.

James's work profile
James works in the following sector(s): Collections Institution, Other government agency
James's primary institution is: Agriculture Victoria
James's position is: Research Scientist

James's work in taxonomy
James has the following roles: Collecting, Specimen preparation, Identification, Research, Collection Management
James's skills are in Species delimitation, Classification, Imaging
James works on the taxonomy of Animals, Insects, Hymenoptera, Formicidae
Find out more about James at:








James is happy to be contacted for the following reasons:

Contact from others in the taxonomy community regarding taxonomy-related issues

Contact from members of the public for advice in areas of expertise (but not for identifications)

Contact from members of the public for identifications in areas of expertise

Contact re potential citizen science projects that could contribute to taxonomic research

Contact by prospective students and others who could benefit from mentorship
Use the button below to contact James for one of the reasons above. Please don't make contact for any other reason.