For 18-year-old Mark Harvey, August 16th, 1977, was more than just the day music legend Elvis Presley passed away. That day marked a pivotal moment in his life when he picked up his very first pseudoscorpion under a rock in western Victoria and popped it into a jar of ethanol for preservation.
As he's become one of only a handful of scientists to have described over 1,000 new species across various taxonomic groups, Harvey has cemented himself as an authority on arachnids – including spiders, pseudoscorpions, and scorpions – and other invertebrates such as millipedes and velvet worms.
When asked about his secret to success, Harvey modestly attributes it to his keen eye for detail and drawing skills. "I'm a good drawer and I have a good eye for details," he said. He usually sticks to straightforward Latin names drawn from a Latin dictionary but often gets creative by naming species after notable figures or characteristics.
Harvey's fascination with pseudoscorpions stems from their complexity, ancient lineage (fossils of them date back hundreds of millions of years), and unique ability to run faster backwards than forwards. "They are just so interesting," he said, highlighting the importance of continued research into these enigmatic creatures.
As Harvey officially retired earlier this year, he expressed concern over the impact of human activities on the environment and its effect on species diversity. "Habitat loss, climate change, and bushfires are all taking a devastating toll on our planet's biodiversity," he stated, emphasizing the need for continued scientific inquiry into conservation efforts.
Despite his retirement, Harvey remains committed to leaving a lasting legacy in taxonomy and is currently working on 10 manuscripts, including one that runs to 400 pages. "I feel like I have another 10 years in me," he said.
As he's become one of only a handful of scientists to have described over 1,000 new species across various taxonomic groups, Harvey has cemented himself as an authority on arachnids – including spiders, pseudoscorpions, and scorpions – and other invertebrates such as millipedes and velvet worms.
When asked about his secret to success, Harvey modestly attributes it to his keen eye for detail and drawing skills. "I'm a good drawer and I have a good eye for details," he said. He usually sticks to straightforward Latin names drawn from a Latin dictionary but often gets creative by naming species after notable figures or characteristics.
Harvey's fascination with pseudoscorpions stems from their complexity, ancient lineage (fossils of them date back hundreds of millions of years), and unique ability to run faster backwards than forwards. "They are just so interesting," he said, highlighting the importance of continued research into these enigmatic creatures.
As Harvey officially retired earlier this year, he expressed concern over the impact of human activities on the environment and its effect on species diversity. "Habitat loss, climate change, and bushfires are all taking a devastating toll on our planet's biodiversity," he stated, emphasizing the need for continued scientific inquiry into conservation efforts.
Despite his retirement, Harvey remains committed to leaving a lasting legacy in taxonomy and is currently working on 10 manuscripts, including one that runs to 400 pages. "I feel like I have another 10 years in me," he said.
did you know that pseudoscorpions are super ancient? 
Like, fossils of them go back over 300 MILLION YEARS 
! And they can run FASTER BACKWARDS than forwards 
. That's just wild! 
with over 1,000 new species under his belt 
. And get this - he's still super active at 18 years old 
.
Habitat loss, climate change, bushfires... it's like, we gotta take care of our home 
. Harvey's all about conservation efforts and leaving a legacy 
. I'm totes down for that 
.
his drawing skills are on point too, might have to check out some of his artwork one day 
. what's even more impressive is that he's still pushing for conservation efforts and wanting to leave a lasting legacy in taxonomy 
I'm definitely gonna keep an eye on him as he continues to make new species discoveries 
what's really inspiring is that he doesn't just stop at naming species, but also uses his art skills to make it more memorable 
. his passion for conservation is so inspiring too, especially with all the devastating impact human activities are having on our planet 
. it's heartening to see someone like mark harvey still dedicated to making a difference even after retiring 
.
Anyway, gotta respect the dude for his dedication to conservation efforts... habitat loss and climate change are major issues we need to tackle ASAP 
. Maybe he'll get some young'uns excited about taxonomy and they'll help save the world 
.
he's like a rockstar but instead of music, he's all about arachnids and other creepy crawlies! his secret to success is literally just being super observant and having good drawing skills 
what's not to love about that? anyway, I think it's amazing how much work goes into discovering new species and the importance of conservation efforts... habitat loss and climate change are like, such big issues right now 
can you believe this guy's still out here crushing it at 18?! 
. anyway, it's awesome to see someone dedicating their life to conservation efforts - we could all use more of that 
he's literally a genius & i'm so inspired by his passion for discovery! 
. i think it's awesome that this Mark Harvey dude is all about drawing and detail, it's like he's got his own secret sauce to understanding these tiny animals. but seriously, have you seen the stuff he's published on? 1k+ new species?! that's wild 
. And get this - their speed is measured in millimeters per second, which might not sound like much, but trust me, it's FASCINATING 
. Did you know that species extinction rates are accelerating at an estimated 100 to 1,000 times the natural rate? 
). Anyway, have you guys heard about the incredible work he's doing?
I'm loving the fact that Mark Harvey is still super passionate about arachnids even after retiring 
! His dedication to preserving species and promoting conservation is truly inspiring. And can we talk about how cool it is that he's a master drawer? 
So what's the deal with these pseudoscorpions anyway? Like Mark Harvey says they're pretty cool, but also kinda weird - ancient lineage and all that... I mean, can you imagine being a creature from millions of years ago still running around today? 
. And what's up with the lack of filters in the taxonomy search bar? It's like they think we're all just going to stumble upon some obscure genus or something 
. Can't they see that we need better tools for this kind of research?! 
. And another thing, why do scientists always have to be so modest about their work? Can't they just own it and talk about how amazing their discoveries are 
.