Taxonomic revision of south-eastern Australian giant burrowing frogs (Anura: Limnodynastidae: Heleioporus Gray)

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5016 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-489
Author(s):  
MICHAEL J. MAHONY ◽  
TRENT PENMAN ◽  
TERRY BERTOZZI ◽  
FRANK LEMCKERT ◽  
ROHAN BILNEY ◽  
...  

The rarely encountered giant burrowing frog, Heleioporus australiacus, is distributed widely in a variety of sclerophyll forest habitats east of the Great Dividing Range in south-eastern Australia. Analyses of variation in nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial ND4 gene and thousands of nuclear gene SNPs revealed the presence of two deeply divergent lineages. Multivariate morphological comparisons show the two lineages differ in body proportions with > 91% of individuals being correctly classified in DFA. The two lineages differ in the number and size of spots on the lateral surfaces and the degree by which the cloaca is surrounded by colour patches. The mating calls are significantly different in number of pulses in the note. The presence of a F2 hybrid in the area where the distribution of the two taxa come into closest proximity leads us to assign subspecies status to the lineages, as we have not been able to assess the extent of potential genetic introgression. In our sampling, the F2 hybrid sample sits within an otherwise unsampled gap of ~90km between the distributions of the two lineages. The nominate northern sub-species is restricted to the Sydney Basin bioregion, while the newly recognised southern subspecies occurs from south of the Kangaroo Valley in the mid-southern coast of New South Wales to near Walhalla in central Gippsland in Victoria. The habitat of the two subspecies is remarkably similar. Adults spend large portions of their lives on the forest floor where they forage and burrow in a variety of vegetation communities. The southern subspecies occurs most commonly in dry sclerophyll forests with an open understory in the south and in open forest and heath communities with a dense understory in the north of its distribution. The northern subspecies is also found in dry open forests and heaths in association with eroded sandstone landscapes in the Sydney Basin bioregion. Males of both taxa call from both constructed burrows and open positions on small streams, differing from the five Western Australian species of Heleioporus where males call only from constructed burrows. Using the IUCN Red List process, we found that the extent of occupancy and area of occupancy along with evidence of decline for both subspecies are consistent with the criteria for Endangered (A2(c)B2(a)(b)).  

1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 461 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. Miller ◽  
W. F. Ponder ◽  
S. A. Clark

The freshwater snail genus Fluvidona (Gastropoda, Caenogastropoda, Rissooidea, Hydrobiidae) is reapprasied and described using anatomical, shell, radula and opercular characters. Five species, three of them new, are described, being differentiated using anatomical, shell and opercular character states. A sixth species, similar to the Fluvidona species, is described and is tentatively assigned to the genus Austropyrgus Cotton. All six species live in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland and all are from single localities or very restricted areas. All species live in small streams, although one was found aestivating in soil in the bed of a small dry creek. The new species placed in Austropyrgus, from the Bunya Mountains, Queensland, is widely separated from putative congeners that are found in southern New South Wales and other parts of south-eastern Australia.


2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 207 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Raoult ◽  
V. Peddemors ◽  
J. E. Williamson

Two species of angel shark (Squatina australis, S. albipunctata) and two species of sawshark (Pristiophorus nudipinnis, P. cirratus) are frequently caught in south-eastern Australia. Little is known of the biology of these elasmobranchs, despite being caught as secondary target species in large numbers. The present study collected morphometric and reproductive data from sharks caught in shark-control nets, commercial fishing trawlers and research trawlers in south-eastern Australia. All four species had female-biased sexual size dimorphism, but growth curves between sexes did not differ. Male S. australis individuals were fully mature at ~800-mm total length, male P. nudipinnis at ~900mm, and male P. cirratus at ~800mm. Anterior pectoral margins could be used to determine total length in all species. No morphometric measurement could reliably separate Squatina spp. or Pristiophorus spp., although S. albipunctata over 1000-mm total length had larger eyes than did S. australis.


1976 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 663 ◽  
Author(s):  
JA Elix

Parmelia (subgen. Xanthoparmelia) barbatica, Parmelia (subgen. Xanthoparmelia) burmeisterii and Parmelia (subgen. Xanthoparmelia) pseudohypoleia are described as new from the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. The former two species are the first representatives of this subgenus to be described in which usnic acid, barbatic acid and 4-O-demethylbarbatic acid are the major secondary metabolites.


1973 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
VJ Hill ◽  
RH Groves

Three variants or forms of Chondrilla juncea L. (skeleton weed) are distinguished in south-eastern Australia. The forms (designated A, B, and C) differ in inflorescence morphology and fruit characters, but mainly in the shape of rosette leaves, for which quantitative expressions of the differences have been developed. There were no significant differences within each form in rosette leaf shape when grown in a wide range of environments. First and second progenies of the three forms, presumably apomictic, retained the identity of their parents, as did leaves of rosettes arising vegetatively from the root system after removal of the parental rosette. The geographical limits of distribution of the forms are given, based on results from field observations and from plants grown in a glasshouse either from seed or clonal material. Plants of form A are widespread and occur in south-eastern Australia over a wide range of latitude, climate, and soil type. With one exception, the distribution of plants of forms B and C in 1969 was restricted to central New South Wales, where the forms are distributed sympatrically with plants of form A. Form B plants are confined at present to an area bounded approximately by Young, Orange, Peak Hill, and Marsden, though these boundaries are extending. Leaf emergence rates, times to stem elongation, and times to flowering are presented for the three forms. Differences between forms in these characters under some conditions are shown to exist, as well as differences between forms in their ability to regenerate vegetatively. Form C plants, at present more restricted geographically, seem to have a greater potential for regeneration from rootstocks than form A plants, already widespread throughout south-eastern Australia. The variation described in this paper is discussed in relation to control of other weed species, especially apomicts.


1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 959 ◽  
Author(s):  
MAE Lattimore

Legume-based pastures have long been an integral part of rice growing in the southern New South Wales irrigation areas and still offer potential to improve the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of the temperate rice-cropping system.This paper reviews both historical and current aspects of pastures in temperate rice rotations in southern New South Wales and highlights the importance of pastures in sustaining this cropping system as environmental pressures increase. Topics discussed include pasture species and rotations, their role in improving soil fertility and sustainability, the value of pastures in weed control, and their management for maximum profitability.


1990 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 271 ◽  
Author(s):  
AR Leys ◽  
RL Amor ◽  
AG Barnett ◽  
B Plater

Eighteen herbicides or herbicide tankmixes were evaluated over 3 years (1987-89) for their control of 11 important summer-growing weeds on fallows in southern New South Wales and the Wimmera area of Victoria. Each of the weeds was effectively controlled by at least 1 herbicide. The tank-mixes of glyphosate plus metsulfuron (270 + 4.2 g a.i./ha) and glyphosate plus 2,4-D ester (270 + 320 g a.i./ha) were the most effective treatments, each giving an average of 68% control of all species. Hogweed (Polygolzunz avicu1ar.e L.), prickly paddy melon (Cucumis myriocarpris Naudin), spear thistle [Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.] and skeleton weed (Chondrilla juncea L.) were the species most tolerant of these 2 tank-mixes. When these species were exluded, glyphosate plus metsulfuron and glyphosate plus 2,4-D ester gave an average of 90 and 88% control, respectively, of the remaining species [common heliotrope, Heliotropiunz europaeum L.; camel melon, Citrullus larzatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai var. lanatus; prickly lettuce, Lactuca serriola L.; sowthistle, Sonchus spp.; clammy goosefoot, Chenopodium pumilio R.Br.; caltrop, Tribulus terrestris L.; stink grass, Eragrostis ciliatiensis (All.) E. Mosher]. Hogweed was most effectively controlled by 2,4-D amine plus dicamba (750 + 100 g a.i./ha) or 2,4-D ester (800 g a.i./ha); prickly paddy melon by 2,4-D amine plus triclopyr (750 + 96 g a.i./ha); spear thistle by 2,4-D amine plus dicamba (750 + 100 g a.i./ha) or glyphosate plus clopyralid (270 + 60 g a.i./ha); and skeleton weed by 2,4-D amine plus clopyralid (750 + 60 g a.i./ha). A pot experiment confirmed field observations that, as common heliotrope ages, glyphosate and glyphosate plus metsulfuron become less effective for its control.


Soil Research ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn D. Gatehouse ◽  
I. S. Williams ◽  
B. J. Pillans

The U-Pb ages of fine-grained zircon separated from 2 dust-dominated soils in the eastern highlands of south-eastern Australia and measured by ion microprobe (SHRIMP) revealed a characteristic age ‘fingerprint’ from which the source of the dust has been determined and by which it will be possible to assess the contribution of dust to other soil profiles. The 2 soils are dominated by zircon 400–600 and 1000–1200 Ma old, derived from Palaeozoic granites and sediments of the Lachlan Fold Belt, but also contain significant components 100–300 Ma old, characteristic of igneous rocks in the New England Fold Belt in northern New South Wales and Queensland. This pattern closely matches that of sediments of the Murray-Darling Basin, especially the Mallee dunefield, suggesting that weathering of rocks in the eastern highlands has contributed large quantities of sediment to the arid and semi-arid inland basins via internally draining rivers of the present and past Murray–Darling River systems, where it has formed a major source of dust subsequently blown eastwards and deposited in the highland soils of eastern Australia.


1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 665 ◽  
Author(s):  
PD Dwyer

In south-eastern Australia banding of M. schreibersii has been concentrated in four areas: north-eastern New South Wales, south-eastern New South Wales, south-eastern Victoria, and south-western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. The present paper analyses 2083 reported movements. Only 17 of these are from one of the four areas to another with the longest movement being 810 miles. Biologically and geographically separate populations of M. schreibersii are recognized in both north-eastern and south-eastern New South Wales. Each population has its basis in dependence upon a specific nursery site which is used annually by nearly all adult females in that population. Boundaries of population ranges in New South Wales are considered to be prominent features of physiography (i.e. divides). Bats move between population ranges less often than they move within population ranges. This cannot be explained solely in terms of the distances separating roosts. Available movement records from Victoria and South Australia are consistent with the pattern described for New South Wales. Two biologically recognizable populations (i.e, different birth periods) occur in south-western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia but these may have overlapping ranges. Only one nursery colony of M. schreibersii is known from south-eastern Victoria. On present evidence it remains possible that the apparent integrity of the population associated with this nursery is merely a consequence of distance from other areas of banding activity. Detailed analyses of movements in bats may provide direct evidence as to the kinds of cues by which a given species navigates. Thus the physiographic basis described for population ranges in New South Wales is consistent with the view that M. schreibersii may orientate to waterways or divides or both. The probability that there are area differences in the subtlety or nature of navigational cues is implied by the different physiographic circumstances of south-western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. It is suggested that knowledge of population range boundaries may aid planning of meaningful homing experiments.


1982 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
FJ Odendaal ◽  
CM Bull

Ranidella signifera has a wide distribution in south-eastern Australia; R. riparia is endemic to the Flin- ders Ranges in South Australia. The ranges of the two species are largely allopatric, but they contact and overlap in a zone about 10 km wide, in the southern Flinders Ranges. The nature of the creeks changes across this zone. Immediately to the south and east, where only R. signifera is found, the creeks are slow-flowing and heavily vegetated, with mud or sand substrates. To the north and west the creeks are swift-flowing, and have rocky substrates and little vegetation; only R. riparia is found in these. In the sympatric overlap zone creeks are heterogeneous, with both habitat types represented. The close association between species and creek habitat is lost in populations not immediately adjacent to the overlap zone. This implies that each species can survive in both creek habitats but that R. riparia has a competitive advantage in swift, rocky creeks and R, signifera has an advantage in slow, vegetated creeks. This prevents either species from expanding its distribution beyond the narrow overlap area.


2019 ◽  
Vol 157 (7) ◽  
pp. 1023-1030
Author(s):  
Phil R. Bell ◽  
Russell D. C. Bicknell ◽  
Elizabeth T. Smith

AbstractFossil crayfish are typically rare, worldwide. In Australia, the strictly Southern Hemisphere clade Parastacidae, while ubiquitous in modern freshwater systems, is known only from sparse fossil occurrences from the Aptian–Albian of Victoria. We expand this record to the Cenomanian of northern New South Wales, where opalized bio-gastroliths (temporary calcium storage bodies found in the foregut of pre-moult crayfish) form a significant proportion of the fauna of the Griman Creek Formation. Crayfish bio-gastroliths are exceedingly rare in the fossil record but here form a remarkable supplementary record for crayfish, whose body and trace fossils are otherwise unknown from the Griman Creek Formation. The new specimens indicate that parastacid crayfish were widespread in eastern Australia by middle Cretaceous time, occupying a variety of freshwater ecosystems from the Australian–Antarctic rift valley in the south, to the near-coastal floodplains surrounding the epeiric Eromanga Sea further to the north.


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