This paper reports on four species of parasitic mites in the family Laelapidae from rodents in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area of Western Australia.New host and locality information is provided for Laelaps lybacia Domrow, 1979, L. rothschildi Hirst, 1914, L. spatanges Domrow, 1973, and Mesolaelaps australiensis (Hirst, 1926).The male of L. lybacia is described for the first time.
The Lesser Sunda Archipelago is one of the world's most tectonically complex regions and hosts a unique assemblage of amphibian species.Paddy frogs (genus Fejervarya) occur throughout the region, but the systematic position and distribution of each constituent species remains unclear.We present a set of comprehensive mtDNA and morphometric data on the three paddy frog species in the Lesser Sundas: F. cancrivora, F. iskandari and F. verruculosa.We clarify the phylogenetic position of F. verruculosa, placing it as the sister species of F. cancrivora.We also confirm that F. iskandari occur in the Lesser Sundas.Molecular data suggests that F. cancrivora is panmictic across Java and the Sunda Arc, while F. verruculosa and F. iskandari comprise multiple highly divergent populations within the Lesser Sundas.Phylogeographic results appear to support at least two natural colonisations of Fejervarya in the Lesser Sunda Archipelago, one by F. iskandari and one by F. verruculosa, whereas contemporary F. cancrivora populations likely arose from humanmediated movement.Our results demonstrate the biogeographic complexity of the Lesser Sunda Archipelago and identify key knowledge gaps in Lesser Sunda Fejervarya.
The long-forgotten snake name Tortrix australis Gray, 1841 is shown to be a senior synonym of Demansia reticulata (Gray, 1842), an elapid species from Western Australia.The holotype, originally lodged in the collection of the Museum of the Army Medical Service at Chatham, now lost, is likely to have been collected from the Perth area, through the auspices of one of the surgeons associated with army regiments assigned to Australia.The most likely source of the specimen is Dr William Milligan, who was stationed in the Swan River Colony between 1830 and 1834.Through designation of a neotype and use of Article 23.9 of the Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Demansia reticulata is made a nomen protectum, and Tortrix australis a nomen oblitum, stabilising nomenclature.
– A new species of spiny-tailed gecko, Strophurus spinula sp. nov., is described from inland areas of southern Western Australia. Among its diagnostic features are a discontinuous mostly straight row of enlarged tubercles down either side of the body, and the caudal spines of the tail are uniformly coloured with the largest lateral spines aligned to form a laterodorsal row on either side of the tail. In these characteristics it is most similar in morphology to Strophurus assimilis , and to a lesser extent S. intermedius . Genetic information shows it is most closely related to a group of species that includes S. intermedius , S. spinigerus and S. rankini . Strophurus spinula sp. nov. is found largely within the southern mulga woodlands region of Western Australia, and at the southern margins of its range is parapatric with respect to S. assimilis
Odontasteridae (Asteroidea) are important members of Antarctic faunas.Less wellknown are odontasterid species present outside of high-latitudes, which occur primarily in the deepsea.Multiple new odontasterids were identified from deep-sea settings in Australian waters, including a new genus and species, Marshastra loisetteae gen.nov.sp.nov., from the shelf off Western Australia, and Hoplaster oloughlini sp.nov.from Tasmania and the south Pacific region.A phylogeny of Hoplaster suggests diversification from a Southern Hemisphere setting into the Atlantic and northward as well as across Tasmanian seamounts, indicating diversification into deep-sea habitats from shallower waters.
Three species of Uperoleia toadlets occur in the Darwin region, and are difficult to tell apart due to similar size and colouration.Identification has generally relied on differences in male advertisement calls.Uperoleia daviesae is the Northern Territory's only threatened frog and is impacted by urban development and sand mining.Given their threatened status and significance in development impact assessments, having a method of species identification that does not rely on calling males is particularly important.Here we outline a reliable and simple method for the morphological identification of each of the three species based on the shape, size and placement of the parotoid and inguinal glands.We also provide comments on the ecology and habitat of U. daviesae, and key information on detectability to improve survey work on this threatened species.We broadly characterise U. daviesae sites as 'persistent flowing' or 'intermittent flowing' based on our observations of surface water flow and calling patterns.Persistent sites have surface flow and support U. daviesae calling for weeks or months after the first significant rainfall, whereas intermittent sites may require 10-day cumulative rainfall totals of >100 mm to trigger calling which may persist for a few days only.Detectability of U. daviesae from calling is therefore site specific.Effective conservation planning and species recovery would be aided by research into U. daviesae population dynamics, hydrology of sandsheet heath habitats and the potential for sand mining rehabilitation.
