Non-Profit Organisation 052-511-NPOPostal address: P O Box 61 Cape Town 8000 South AfricaPhysical address: 25 Queen Victoria Street Cape Town South AfricaPhone: 021 481 3913 Fax: 021 481 3993 Cell: 072 225 6893 E-mail: samfriends@iziko.org.zaWebsite http://www.iziko.org.za/; http://www.iziko.org.za/static/page/friends-of-the-south-african-museum

NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2015

It is with great pleasure that I introduce Pascale Chesselet to you. Pascale began work in the Friends office this month and I will officially leave on 30 June. Pascale’s interest in the South African Museum began as a school girl when she worked as a volunteer in the Archaeology and Palaeontology Departments. She is very pleased to be back in the museum after an academic career which has taken her from SANBI to the Natural History Museum in Paris.

FRIENDS OF IZIKO SOUTH AFRICAN

MUSEUM

LECTURES FOR 2015Lectures are held in the TH Barry Lecture Theatre at 18:00, unless otherwise advertised. Entrance is free to members on presentation of a valid 2015 membership card. Visitors are asked for a donation of R30 per lecture.

Tuesday 30 JuneSpeaker: Professor Jill Farrant, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town Title: Use of resurrection plants as models for production of drought tolerant crops

Most plants are sensitive to even slight water loss for short periods of time. Resurrection plants are extremely unusual in that they can lose 95% of their cellular water, remain viable for prolonged periods and recover full metabolism on rehydration. There are only ca 135 species of angiosperms with such vegetative desiccation tolerance, the majority of them endemic to Southern Africa. My research is aimed at gaining a comprehensive fundamental understanding of this phenomenon with the ultimate aim of utilizing key protectant systems identified to produce drought tolerant crops.

A systems biology approach is utilized in which molecular studies identify genes, proteins, metabolites and lipids that might be involved in protection; biochemical and physiological studies determine where and how such protection works and this is related to how plants cope in drought prone environments (ecophysiological studies). In this presentation, Professor Farrant will illustrate some of the key findings gained from such an approach, drawing attention to those that have relevance to the production of drought tolerant crops in Africa.

Tuesday 28 JulySpeaker: Dr Matthew ScarboroughTitle: How to shrink an elephant: the strange and fascinating evolution of dwarf elephants on Mediterranean islands

During the Ice Age the Mediterranean islands were repeatedly colonized by elephants and mammoth. On many of these islands elephants evolved species with very unusual anatomical adaptations. How and why did these adaptations to island environments come about? Matthew’s research investigates the anatomy of dwarf elephants with a particular emphasis on the 1-m tall species Palaeoloxodon falconeri from caves on the islands of Sicily and Malta.

Tuesday 25 AugustSpeaker: Dr Simon van Noort, Curator of Entomology, Iziko Museums of Southern AfricaTitle: Wasps for Africa

Wasps are super-diverse with almost 20 000 species described from Africa alone, but hundreds of thousands of species await discovery and description entailing exciting field expeditions into remote areas of this vast continent. The talk will showcase the microscopic lives of this biologically diverse group of insects as well as the field work and research undertaken to discover and document Africa’s wasps. Fascinating biological interactions will be highlighted, including the life styles of maritime parasitoid wasps, fig wasp pollinators and gall wasps.* See page 5 for images.

Tuesday 29 SeptemberSpeaker: Professor Mike BrutonTitle: When I was a Fish. Tales of an Ichthyologist

Professor Mike Bruton will speak about his interesting and varied scientific life from collecting butterflies and beetles as a child, then as a graduate he carried out research on the fishes, hippos and crocodiles of a remote lake in northern Zululand.

As a newly qualified young scientist he then embarked on another voyage of discovery in the laboratories, collection rooms and conference centres of some of the great European museums from a base at the Natural History Museum in London. Here he encountered not only fishes but also dodos, platypuses and Loch Ness monster wannabees. Along the way he became one of the leading experts on the behaviour of the famous ‘living fossil’ fish and an active proponent of its conservation. He will describe in detail the 1991 and 1996 expeditions off the South African coast to find coelacanths using the German research submersible, ‘Jago’.

OUTINGS

BEHIND-THE-SCENES AT THE IZIKO SOCIAL HISTORY CENTREDate: Wednesday 8 July Time: 10:00–12:30

Join Curator of Social History, Esther Esmyol, who will give you a glimpse behind the scenes at the Social History Centre on Church Square, and where you will be shown recently unpacked items in the iziko collection.

Cost: Members R50; non-members R60

A GUIDED TOUR AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN JEWISH MUSEUMDate: Wednesday 5 August Time: 10:00–12:30

The Friends group will be taken on a guided tour especially arranged for us that will include the Great Synagogue and the Old Schul, the Netsuke exhibition as well as some optional extras time permitting.

Cost: Members R75; non-members R85

MONTAGU, MOUNTAIN PASSES, HOT SPRINGS, POORTS AND HOME!15–16 August

If your interest is in our Cape mountain geology then join us for this special weekend. Our guide, Dr Coenie de Beer from the Council for Geoscience, will be giving us insights into the geology of some of our wonderful Cape mountains.

We begin our journey from Cape Town and head inland via Du Toit Kloof Pass, Du Toits Lodge, Brandvlei Hot Springs, Cogmans Kloof and overnight in Montagu.Our return to Cape Town will be via the Koo Valley, and the Burgers and Rooihoogte passes.

Cost: Members R920; non-members R 1 020. Includes one night’s shared accommodation, dinner and breakfast.

FOSSIL HUNTING IN THE BEAUFORT WEST AREA 16–20 SEPTEMBER

Dr Roger Smith will once again lead the popular Karoo fossil hunting trip. Accommodation will be at the Lemoenfontein Game Lodge and the group will spend the days searching slopes on different sites in the area each day. There will be evening lectures presented by Dr Smith as well as other experts in their field.

Cost: Members R 3 400; non-members R 3 900. Includes shared accommodation, all meals and refreshments in the field each day.

There are only a few places left on this field trip.

Booking and payment in advance is essential on all outings in order to secure your place as numbers are always limited.

DR ROGER SMITH AWARDED AN A-RATING

Iziko Museums of South Africa Curator, Dr Roger M. H. Smith, was recently recognised as a pioneering international scholar and awarded an A-rating by the National Research Foundation (NRF) for his research in palaeontology and other spheres of geology. Dr Smith, Curator Karoo Palaeontology, has worked as a palaeontologist, based at the Iziko South African Museum since 1983. His research specialty is to combine field-generated geological and palaeontological data into reconstructions of ancient ecosystems.

He is currently the only A-Rated scientist working in South African Museums. His award was celebrated recently at a lunch at Groot Constantia with his colleagues present to celebrate this prestigious honour.

The Friends have been very privileged to have enjoyed 24 Karoo field trips with Roger over the years as well as many weekend and day trips exploring the geology of the Cape. We have also been kept up to date with his field work through numerous lectures.

SISTAHOOD GIRLS CLUB, IMIZA YETHO

The Friends had the opportunity to support this girls’ club when they recently visited the museum. We organised free entrance to the museum and cool drinks for them all. They had a wonderful time and sent a lovely ‘thank you’ letter to the Friends and to the museum. The Girls Club in Imizamo Yethu (Hout Bay) aims to empower, support and educate young women.

REPORTBACKLAINGSBURG TO CALITZDORP AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

Twenty participants met at the Flood Museum in Laingsburg on Friday, where our very able and edifying guide, Alistair Reizenberg of Zoar (a mission village near Laingsburg) met us and gave a detailed history of the original inhabitants of the area – the Khoi or Kenna, or Hottentot – depending on who is relating the history! He is in fact a descendant of the indigenous people, his family were chiefs.

The tour commenced with a walkabout of the museum and then up to the hill, above the highest level reached by the flood of January 1981. A sobering view, visualizing the vast area stretching before us inundated by water and debris, everything swept away – vegetation, houses, animals and people – 104 persons lost their lives, many of whom were never found. We finished the museum tour with a talk by Francis van Wyk, a flood survivor who described the disaster and showed video footage of the event, described by geologists as the 1000 year flood.The weather turned cold and after a short drive through the village to view the flood memorial and a special cemetery for the victims, we checked into our guest houses for the night.

Alistair arrived bright and early on Saturday to show us the spectacular scenery, stopping at points of interest, on the way to Seweweekspoort. We then drove on to his house at Zoar, where we stopped for lunch, catered for by his charming wife and served by his two daughters. Next, we drove to Amalienstein, an adjoining mission station with a huge dairy farm, fruit and other produce. At present administered by the government, the community hope to have ownership transferred to them next year.After a long day, we headed for Calitzdorp to check into our guest houses and meet for dinner at Die Dorphuis. Malcolm Cerfontein set up a telescope before dinner for some stargazing including Jupiter’s moons and the Jewel Box.

On Sunday, we walked for an hour through Calitzdorp to the Boplaas Winery that specialises in great quality Port (or rather Cape Ruby, since we are banned from using the word “Port”)! This was followed by a short drive to view the beautiful vineyards in the valley, then to our final point of interest, a dam about 10km outside the village.By noon, we said our goodbyes and headed home along the R62, another very scenic road through farmlands bathed in autumn colours of every hue.

Our compliments go to Rosemarie Smythe, for her great job reconnoitring and arranging this memorable outing.

Munro Bloch

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS

It is a pleasure to welcome new members to the Friends and we look forward to meeting you all at future Friends activities.

Sheila Becker Sam GrashoffPascale Chesselet Vera PlattMarina Richards Theresa and Louis van As

Maxine and PascaleFriends of Iziko South African Museum

Wasps for Africa (see page 2.)

Close-up of the cuticle of the Splendid Cuckoo wasp, Chrysis splendens (Chrysididae). Photograph by Simon van Noort.

Tiny pollinator fig wasps laboriously squeezing their way through the fig ostiole (a narrow opening at the apex of the fig) to gain access to the fig cavity. Photograph by Simon van Noort.

The intimidating face of a paper wasp (Belonogaster, Vespidae) warns potential predators not to mess with her nest. Any transgressors will be seen off by delivery of a painful sting. Photograph by Simon van Noort.