In this paper we present new AAOmega spectroscopy of 254 galaxies within a 30 arcmin radius around Abell 3888. We combine these data with the existing redshifts measured in a one degree radius around the cluster and performed a substructure analysis. We confirm 71 member galaxies within the core of A3888 and determine a new average redshift and velocity dispersion for the cluster of 0.1535+/-0.0009 and 1181+/-197km/s, respectively. The cluster is elongated along an East-West axis and we find the core is bimodal along this axis with two subgroups of 26 and 41 members detected. Our results suggest that A3888 is a merging system putting to rest the previous conjecture about the morphological status of the cluster derived from X-ray observations. In addition to the results on A3888 we also present six newly detected galaxy overdensities in the field, three of which we classify as new galaxy clusters.

Cone search capability for table J/MNRAS/458/3083/table1 (Details of the objects observed with the AAOmega)

Cone search capability for table J/MNRAS/458/3083/tablea1 (Details of the galaxies of detected galaxy clusters (Structures 6-8))