The Hidden World of Invertebrates. New Species and Museum Collections

'When we swim in Cabbage Tree Bay we are amazed at the wildlife we see - fish, rays, sharks, turtles, cuttlefish, cormorants, jellyfish and more. But there is a world of hidden biodiversity in the invertebrate communities that we don’t easily see. My career has been focused on discovering new species and documenting biodiversity. I have enjoyed many field trips to build museum collections which contribute to the study of this hidden biodiversity.' Dr Penny Berents

Manly local Dr Penny Berents is a marine scientist who has spent most of her career at the Australian Museum where she focused on museum collections, research and data management. She retired as Head of Natural Science and remains active as a Senior Fellow pursuing her research interests in crustacean systematics and biodiversity. 

Penny has a long association with Lizard Island Research Station as a member of the first Australian Museum expedition in 1975 and subsequent expeditions and she has been a Trustee of the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation (LIRRF) for many years. She is on the Council of the Australian Marine Sciences Association where she has served as President and Immediate Past President and in 2021 Penny was awarded the Australian Museum Research Institute Medal. 

She has extensive field experience on coral reefs, rocky reefs and the deep sea and we are thrilled to have her for our first Manly Talks for 2025. Join us for a fascinating evening to learn more about our precious marine ecosystem and find out more about the role and contribution you can make as a Citizen Scientist.