R. Bicknell, G. Edgecombe, Christopher H. R. Goatley, Glen Charlton, John R. Paterson
Pedipalps – chelate ‘pincers’ as the second pair of prosomal appendages – are a striking feature of scorpions and are employed in varied biological functions. Despite the distinctive morphology and ecological importance of these appendages, their anatomy remains underexplored. To rectify this, we examined the pedipalps of the Australian black rock scorpion, Urodacus manicatus, using a multifaceted approach consisting of microcomputed tomography, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and live pinch force measurements. In doing so, we document the following aspects of the pedipalps: (1) the musculature in three dimensions; (2) the cuticular microstructure, focusing on the chelae (tibial and tarsal podomeres); (3) the elemental construction of the chelae teeth; and (4) the chelae pinch force. We recognise 25 muscle groups in U. manicatus pedipalps, substantially more than previously documented in scorpions. The cuticular microstructure – endo-, meso-, and exocuticle – of U. manicatus pedipalps is shown to be similar to other scorpions and that mesocuticle reinforces the chelae for predation and burrowing. Elemental mapping of the chelae teeth highlights enrichment in calcium, chlorine, nickel, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, vanadium, and zinc, with a marked lack of carbon. These elements reinforce the teeth, increasing robustness to better enable prey capture and incapacitation. Finally, the pinch force data demonstrate that U. manicatus can exert high pinch forces (4.1 N), further highlighting the application of chelae in subduing prey, as opposed to holding prey for envenomation. We demonstrate that U. manicatus has an array of adaptions for functioning as a sit-and-wait predator that primarily uses highly reinforced chelae to process prey.
Pedipalps - 作为第二对前体附肢的螯状 "钳子"- 是蝎子的一个显著特征，具有多种生物功能。尽管这些附肢具有独特的形态和重要的生态意义，但对其解剖结构的研究仍然不足。为了纠正这种情况，我们采用微计算机断层扫描、扫描电子显微镜、能量色散 X 射线光谱和活体夹力测量等多方面方法，对澳大利亚黑岩蝎的足趾甲进行了研究。在此过程中，我们记录了足爪的以下几个方面：(1) 三维肌肉组织；(2) 角质微结构，重点是螯部（胫骨和跗骨荚膜）；(3) 螯齿的元素结构；(4) 螯夹力。我们在 U. manicatus 的足瓣中发现了 25 个肌肉群，大大多于以前在蝎子中发现的肌肉群。研究表明，躁狂蝎足爪的角质微结构--内、中、外角质层--与其他蝎子相似，中角质层可加固螯部，以利于捕食和穴居。螯齿的元素图谱显示，钙、氯、镍、磷、钾、钠、钒和锌含量丰富，而碳含量明显不足。这些元素强化了螯齿，增强了螯齿的坚固性，从而更好地捕获猎物并使其丧失行动能力。最后，夹力数据表明鬃狮蜥可以施加很高的夹力（4.1 N），这进一步凸显了螯钳在制服猎物方面的应用，而不是扣住猎物进行毒杀。我们的研究表明，鬃狮蜥具有一系列适应性，可以作为一种坐以待毙的捕食者，主要利用高度强化的螯来处理猎物。
{"title":"Pedipalp anatomy of the Australian black rock scorpion, Urodacus manicatus, with implications for functional morphology","authors":"R. Bicknell, G. Edgecombe, Christopher H. R. Goatley, Glen Charlton, John R. Paterson","doi":"10.1071/zo23044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23044","url":null,"abstract":"Pedipalps – chelate ‘pincers’ as the second pair of prosomal appendages – are a striking feature of scorpions and are employed in varied biological functions. Despite the distinctive morphology and ecological importance of these appendages, their anatomy remains underexplored. To rectify this, we examined the pedipalps of the Australian black rock scorpion, Urodacus manicatus, using a multifaceted approach consisting of microcomputed tomography, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and live pinch force measurements. In doing so, we document the following aspects of the pedipalps: (1) the musculature in three dimensions; (2) the cuticular microstructure, focusing on the chelae (tibial and tarsal podomeres); (3) the elemental construction of the chelae teeth; and (4) the chelae pinch force. We recognise 25 muscle groups in U. manicatus pedipalps, substantially more than previously documented in scorpions. The cuticular microstructure – endo-, meso-, and exocuticle – of U. manicatus pedipalps is shown to be similar to other scorpions and that mesocuticle reinforces the chelae for predation and burrowing. Elemental mapping of the chelae teeth highlights enrichment in calcium, chlorine, nickel, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, vanadium, and zinc, with a marked lack of carbon. These elements reinforce the teeth, increasing robustness to better enable prey capture and incapacitation. Finally, the pinch force data demonstrate that U. manicatus can exert high pinch forces (4.1 N), further highlighting the application of chelae in subduing prey, as opposed to holding prey for envenomation. We demonstrate that U. manicatus has an array of adaptions for functioning as a sit-and-wait predator that primarily uses highly reinforced chelae to process prey.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140982438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In the face of global biodiversity declines, conservation measures are urgently needed. However, our lack of knowledge on species’ diversity, distributions and population trends presents a major obstacle, particularly for morphologically cryptic species. Field surveys to gather this information present a logistical challenge, but the rapid rise of citizen science presents a new opportunity, generating huge volumes of data rapidly across a species’ range. We use data from a national citizen-science project to document the distribution and advertisement call variability in a group of five morphologically conserved treefrogs. Using 542 male advertisement calls across the entire range of five species, we found considerable levels of acoustic variation both among and within species. Note shape, notes per call and positions of the longest and shortest notes were most useful to delineate species. Our research will assist in species delineation and identification in the field and form the basis for a more accurate understanding of species diversity and distributions in the brown tree frog complex. We also demonstrated the utility of citizen science in documenting species distributions and diversity.
{"title":"Unravelling male advertisement call variability in the brown tree frog (Litoria ewingii) complex by using citizen science","authors":"Jessica Elliott-Tate, Jodi J. L. Rowley","doi":"10.1071/zo23026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23026","url":null,"abstract":"In the face of global biodiversity declines, conservation measures are urgently needed. However, our lack of knowledge on species’ diversity, distributions and population trends presents a major obstacle, particularly for morphologically cryptic species. Field surveys to gather this information present a logistical challenge, but the rapid rise of citizen science presents a new opportunity, generating huge volumes of data rapidly across a species’ range. We use data from a national citizen-science project to document the distribution and advertisement call variability in a group of five morphologically conserved treefrogs. Using 542 male advertisement calls across the entire range of five species, we found considerable levels of acoustic variation both among and within species. Note shape, notes per call and positions of the longest and shortest notes were most useful to delineate species. Our research will assist in species delineation and identification in the field and form the basis for a more accurate understanding of species diversity and distributions in the brown tree frog complex. We also demonstrated the utility of citizen science in documenting species distributions and diversity.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141002105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amir Hamidy, E. Arida, Noor Laina Maireda, A. E. N. Herlambang, A. Riyanto, Mumpuni, Richard Shine, D. Natusch
Large (>3 m) slender-bodied rat snakes are abundant in agroecosystems of southern Asia and are heavily exploited for their skins and meat. We examined 216 specimens killed at commercial facilities in Cirebon, West Java, to quantify morphological and reproductive traits and evaluate harvest sustainability by comparing this sample to one taken 25 years previously. The snakes we examined were mostly adults, and mostly male. Females were less heavy-bodied than males of the same body length, matured at a larger size than males, but attained smaller maximum sizes. Reproduction and energy (fatbody) storage was seasonal in both sexes, with females containing oviductal eggs primarily during the annual wet season. Clutch size averaged 12.6 eggs and increased with maternal body size. Comparison of the two samples taken 25 years apart revealed strong similarity in sex ratio, the numerical preponderance of adults, body sizes at sexual maturation and mean adult body sizes, sexual dimorphism in body length and mass, reproductive seasonality in females, mean fecundity, and the relationship between fecundity and maternal body size. That consistency suggests that commercial harvesting over the intervening period has not affected the biological traits of rat snake populations, consistent with a sustainable level of offtake.
{"title":"Sexual dimorphism and reproductive biology of commercially harvested oriental rat snakes (Ptyas mucosa: Colubridae) from West Java","authors":"Amir Hamidy, E. Arida, Noor Laina Maireda, A. E. N. Herlambang, A. Riyanto, Mumpuni, Richard Shine, D. Natusch","doi":"10.1071/zo23030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23030","url":null,"abstract":"Large (>3 m) slender-bodied rat snakes are abundant in agroecosystems of southern Asia and are heavily exploited for their skins and meat. We examined 216 specimens killed at commercial facilities in Cirebon, West Java, to quantify morphological and reproductive traits and evaluate harvest sustainability by comparing this sample to one taken 25 years previously. The snakes we examined were mostly adults, and mostly male. Females were less heavy-bodied than males of the same body length, matured at a larger size than males, but attained smaller maximum sizes. Reproduction and energy (fatbody) storage was seasonal in both sexes, with females containing oviductal eggs primarily during the annual wet season. Clutch size averaged 12.6 eggs and increased with maternal body size. Comparison of the two samples taken 25 years apart revealed strong similarity in sex ratio, the numerical preponderance of adults, body sizes at sexual maturation and mean adult body sizes, sexual dimorphism in body length and mass, reproductive seasonality in females, mean fecundity, and the relationship between fecundity and maternal body size. That consistency suggests that commercial harvesting over the intervening period has not affected the biological traits of rat snake populations, consistent with a sustainable level of offtake.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141016380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) population in Australia has been subjected to numerous threats leading to a significant decline in their numbers. The Port Macquarie region serves as a vital habitat for these iconic marsupials. Analysing records of 1227 koalas admitted to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital (2014–2022), this study aimed to understand admission causes, temporal trends, and risk factors. Anthropogenic activities accounted for almost half (49.7%) of all admissions with ‘dangerous area’ and ‘motor vehicle accident’ (MVA) being common aetiologies. Young koalas were more susceptible to ‘dangerous area’, ‘MVA’, and ‘dog attack’ than other age groups. Koalas admitted for suspected chlamydia were also a significant contributing factor for admissions, and was most common in young koalas. Overall, the majority of koalas were candidates for rehabilitation or release (54.3%), but mature and aged koalas had the highest odds for mortality. This study highlights the ongoing impact of anthropogenic activities on koalas, emphasises the need for public education and reporting to mitigate risks, and underscores the importance of addressing diseases like chlamydia. These results contribute to our understanding of the factors influencing koala hospital admissions and can inform conservation and management strategies for this iconic Australian species.
{"title":"Koala admissions to a wildlife hospital in coastal New South Wales, Australia, over a nine-year period, 2014–2022","authors":"Kate J. Dutton-Regester","doi":"10.1071/zo23023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23023","url":null,"abstract":"The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) population in Australia has been subjected to numerous threats leading to a significant decline in their numbers. The Port Macquarie region serves as a vital habitat for these iconic marsupials. Analysing records of 1227 koalas admitted to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital (2014–2022), this study aimed to understand admission causes, temporal trends, and risk factors. Anthropogenic activities accounted for almost half (49.7%) of all admissions with ‘dangerous area’ and ‘motor vehicle accident’ (MVA) being common aetiologies. Young koalas were more susceptible to ‘dangerous area’, ‘MVA’, and ‘dog attack’ than other age groups. Koalas admitted for suspected chlamydia were also a significant contributing factor for admissions, and was most common in young koalas. Overall, the majority of koalas were candidates for rehabilitation or release (54.3%), but mature and aged koalas had the highest odds for mortality. This study highlights the ongoing impact of anthropogenic activities on koalas, emphasises the need for public education and reporting to mitigate risks, and underscores the importance of addressing diseases like chlamydia. These results contribute to our understanding of the factors influencing koala hospital admissions and can inform conservation and management strategies for this iconic Australian species.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140669034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Umbrello, Nathan Beerkens, Joshua Keen, Sylvie Schmidt, R. Teale, K. Travouillon, Michael Westerman, Andrew M. Baker
The stripe-faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura) is one of the most widespread dasyurids in Australia, occurring mostly in semiarid and arid habitats. It is not known to inhabit coastal regions of southern Australia, and no records have previously been recorded from latitudes greater than 28.5°S in Western Australia. Following the capture of an individual south of the known species range provisionally identified based on external morphology as S. macroura, we used DNA and craniodental morphology to corroborate the specimen’s identification, providing a record of the species at Eucla, Western Australia. This represents a large range extension for S. macroura of 630 km from the nearest confirmed records of the species in Western Australia and South Australia.
{"title":"A southern range extension for Sminthopsis macroura in Western Australia, at Eucla","authors":"L. Umbrello, Nathan Beerkens, Joshua Keen, Sylvie Schmidt, R. Teale, K. Travouillon, Michael Westerman, Andrew M. Baker","doi":"10.1071/zo23045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23045","url":null,"abstract":"The stripe-faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura) is one of the most widespread dasyurids in Australia, occurring mostly in semiarid and arid habitats. It is not known to inhabit coastal regions of southern Australia, and no records have previously been recorded from latitudes greater than 28.5°S in Western Australia. Following the capture of an individual south of the known species range provisionally identified based on external morphology as S. macroura, we used DNA and craniodental morphology to corroborate the specimen’s identification, providing a record of the species at Eucla, Western Australia. This represents a large range extension for S. macroura of 630 km from the nearest confirmed records of the species in Western Australia and South Australia.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140683523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The aim of this investigation was to explore the effect point of capture has on relative weight (Wr), as well as haematology and biochemistry values, in wild eastern longneck turtles (Chelodina longicollis). This study group consisted of two sites of turtles residing in Duck Pond (DP) and Ivanhoe Wetland (IW) in the Darebin Parklands, in Alphington, Melbourne. From DP, 184 turtles were captured, and from IW, 37 turtles were captured. All turtles were weighed and measured, and a random subset of 20 turtles from each waterbody was selected for blood collection. Significant differences were found to exist for Wr, basophils, glucose, uric acid, triglycerides and bile acids between the two sites. Serum glucose levels tended to decrease as a turtle increased in mass, straight carapace length (SCL) and Wr. The results of this investigation highlight the need to take location into consideration when assessing blood parameters in reptiles.
{"title":"Location has a significant effect on body condition and blood parameters in the eastern longneck turtle (Chelodina longicollis)","authors":"T. F. Scheelings","doi":"10.1071/zo23031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23031","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this investigation was to explore the effect point of capture has on relative weight (Wr), as well as haematology and biochemistry values, in wild eastern longneck turtles (Chelodina longicollis). This study group consisted of two sites of turtles residing in Duck Pond (DP) and Ivanhoe Wetland (IW) in the Darebin Parklands, in Alphington, Melbourne. From DP, 184 turtles were captured, and from IW, 37 turtles were captured. All turtles were weighed and measured, and a random subset of 20 turtles from each waterbody was selected for blood collection. Significant differences were found to exist for Wr, basophils, glucose, uric acid, triglycerides and bile acids between the two sites. Serum glucose levels tended to decrease as a turtle increased in mass, straight carapace length (SCL) and Wr. The results of this investigation highlight the need to take location into consideration when assessing blood parameters in reptiles.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140696679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Northover, Stephanie S. Godfrey, A. Lymbery, A. Wayne, S. Keatley, Amanda Ash, Dazlyn Badsha, Siobhon L. Egan, James Barr, R. Thompson
The conservation management of threatened wildlife increasingly relies upon translocations to augment populations. Translocations, however, pose various risks: from the host perspective these include the spread of parasitic disease, whereas from a broader biodiversity perspective translocation may lead to the loss of rare parasites and other dependent fauna. Although Disease Risk Analyses are recommended during translocation planning, knowledge regarding the parasites infecting threatened species or their pathogenicity is often lacking. Between March 2014 and June 2016, woylies (Bettongia penicillata) and sympatric marsupials were screened for the presence of endo- and ectoparasites, during two fauna translocations in south-western Australia. Here, we summarise the parasite taxa identified from B. penicillata, brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus) and chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), including prevalence data for host, parasite taxon and site. Results from the opportunistic sampling of other species (Isoodon fusciventer, Phascogale tapoatafa wambenger, Tiliqua rugosa and Felis catus) are also presented. New host–parasite records including Hepatozoon spp. from T. v. hypoleucus, Trypanosoma noyesi from T. rugosa, Ixodes australiensis and Ixodes tasmani from D. geoffroii, and I. australiensis and Amblyomma sp. from a P. t. wambenger were identified. This study highlights the importance of monitoring sympatric species, particularly when compiling baseline data of parasite fauna present within translocation sites and enhances our knowledge of parasites infecting terrestrial wildlife within Australia’s south-west, a Global Biodiversity Hotspot.
对濒危野生动物的保护管理越来越多地依赖迁移来增加种群数量。然而，迁移会带来各种风险：从宿主的角度来看，这些风险包括寄生虫病的传播，而从更广泛的生物多样性角度来看，迁移可能会导致稀有寄生虫和其他依赖性动物的消失。尽管在迁地规划期间建议进行疾病风险分析，但有关感染受威胁物种的寄生虫或其致病性的知识往往缺乏。2014年3月至2016年6月期间，在澳大利亚西南部的两次动物迁移过程中，对汪利（Bettongia penicillata）和同类有袋动物进行了内寄生虫和外寄生虫的筛查。在此，我们总结了从笔尾负鼠（Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus）、刷尾负鼠（Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus）和朱迪奇（Dasyurus geoffroii）身上发现的寄生虫类群，包括寄主、寄生虫类群和地点的流行率数据。此外，还介绍了对其他物种（Isoodon fusciventer、Phascogale tapoatafa wambenger、Tiliqua rugosa 和 Felis catus）的随机取样结果。新的寄主-寄生虫记录包括来自 T. v. hypoleucus 的 Hepatozoon spp.、来自 T. rugosa 的 Trypanosoma noyesi、来自 D. geoffroii 的 Ixodes australiensis 和 Ixodes tasmani，以及来自 P. t. wambenger 的 I. australiensis 和 Amblyomma sp.。这项研究强调了对同域物种进行监测的重要性，尤其是在编制移地寄生虫动物群的基线数据时，并增进了我们对澳大利亚西南部陆生野生动物寄生虫感染情况的了解，该地区是全球生物多样性热点地区。
{"title":"The parasites of free-ranging terrestrial wildlife from Australia’s south-west","authors":"A. Northover, Stephanie S. Godfrey, A. Lymbery, A. Wayne, S. Keatley, Amanda Ash, Dazlyn Badsha, Siobhon L. Egan, James Barr, R. Thompson","doi":"10.1071/zo23048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23048","url":null,"abstract":"The conservation management of threatened wildlife increasingly relies upon translocations to augment populations. Translocations, however, pose various risks: from the host perspective these include the spread of parasitic disease, whereas from a broader biodiversity perspective translocation may lead to the loss of rare parasites and other dependent fauna. Although Disease Risk Analyses are recommended during translocation planning, knowledge regarding the parasites infecting threatened species or their pathogenicity is often lacking. Between March 2014 and June 2016, woylies (Bettongia penicillata) and sympatric marsupials were screened for the presence of endo- and ectoparasites, during two fauna translocations in south-western Australia. Here, we summarise the parasite taxa identified from B. penicillata, brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus) and chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), including prevalence data for host, parasite taxon and site. Results from the opportunistic sampling of other species (Isoodon fusciventer, Phascogale tapoatafa wambenger, Tiliqua rugosa and Felis catus) are also presented. New host–parasite records including Hepatozoon spp. from T. v. hypoleucus, Trypanosoma noyesi from T. rugosa, Ixodes australiensis and Ixodes tasmani from D. geoffroii, and I. australiensis and Amblyomma sp. from a P. t. wambenger were identified. This study highlights the importance of monitoring sympatric species, particularly when compiling baseline data of parasite fauna present within translocation sites and enhances our knowledge of parasites infecting terrestrial wildlife within Australia’s south-west, a Global Biodiversity Hotspot.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140724765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Gould, C. Beranek, Kate Schmahl, Rachael Donelly, Lynne Matthews, A. Callen, Colin McHenry
Temporary freshwater lenses can form in saline environments after rainfall, providing essential resources for species including drinking water and dispersal routes. However, there is limited indication that these lenses can also be used for breeding. Herein, we provide evidence of the green and golden bell frog, Litoria aurea, performing breeding activities, including calling and amplexus, in tidal mangrove creeks on Kooragang Island, NSW, Australia. Our findings suggest that these creeks intermittently phase into a low salinity state after the influx of fresh water from rainfall, forming temporary freshwater lenses that can be exploited before the creeks revert to a saline state. These lenses had salinities (1.4 ppt and 4.5 ppt) within the tolerance limit of L. aurea tadpoles, although we are unsure whether oviposition took place and offspring survival to metamorphosis was achieved. It is possible that anthropogenic disturbances to hydrology on Kooragang Island have benefited L. aurea by restricting tidal influences in mangrove creeks, prolonging the duration of freshwater lenses.
降雨后，盐碱环境中会形成临时淡水透镜，为物种提供必要的资源，包括饮用水和扩散路线。然而，这些透镜也可用于繁殖的迹象却很有限。在本文中，我们提供了绿钟蛙和金钟蛙（Litoria aurea）在澳大利亚新南威尔士州库拉港岛（Kooragang Island）的潮汐红树林小溪中进行繁殖活动（包括鸣叫和抱茎）的证据。我们的研究结果表明，这些溪流在降雨带来的淡水流入后会间歇性地进入低盐度状态，形成临时淡水透镜区，在溪流恢复到含盐状态之前可以利用这些透镜区。这些淡水透镜区的盐度（1.4 ppt 和 4.5 ppt）在 L. aurea 蝌蚪的耐受极限范围内，但我们不确定蝌蚪是否产卵，后代是否存活到变态。库拉岗岛的水文可能受到人为干扰，限制了红树林溪流的潮汐影响，延长了淡水透镜的持续时间，从而使蝌蚪受益。
{"title":"Lovers in strange places: amphibian calling and amplexus detected in tidal mangrove creeks after rainfall","authors":"J. Gould, C. Beranek, Kate Schmahl, Rachael Donelly, Lynne Matthews, A. Callen, Colin McHenry","doi":"10.1071/zo23042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23042","url":null,"abstract":"Temporary freshwater lenses can form in saline environments after rainfall, providing essential resources for species including drinking water and dispersal routes. However, there is limited indication that these lenses can also be used for breeding. Herein, we provide evidence of the green and golden bell frog, Litoria aurea, performing breeding activities, including calling and amplexus, in tidal mangrove creeks on Kooragang Island, NSW, Australia. Our findings suggest that these creeks intermittently phase into a low salinity state after the influx of fresh water from rainfall, forming temporary freshwater lenses that can be exploited before the creeks revert to a saline state. These lenses had salinities (1.4 ppt and 4.5 ppt) within the tolerance limit of L. aurea tadpoles, although we are unsure whether oviposition took place and offspring survival to metamorphosis was achieved. It is possible that anthropogenic disturbances to hydrology on Kooragang Island have benefited L. aurea by restricting tidal influences in mangrove creeks, prolonging the duration of freshwater lenses.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140369211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Storms can have significant impacts on wildlife and many animals, including birds, can predict a storm’s arrival and change their behaviour accordingly. Storms are often associated with changes in environmental variables, particularly with a fall in barometric pressure. Social animals may collectively detect and advertise the potential onset of inclement weather to facilitate group responses. The present study tested the hypothesis that the sulphur-crested cockatoo uses environmental cues to predict the onset of storms and communicates this to conspecifics by emitting a specific ‘rain call’. Field observations were made over a four-month period at four locations in greater Sydney. Cockatoo calls were recorded, along with multiple environmental variables: barometric pressure, relative humidity, rainfall and temperature. We also noted the time of day relative to sunrise and sunset. We found that rain calls occurred throughout the day but were most prominent at dawn and were far more common at two of the four study sites. Rain calls were more likely to occur at slightly lower temperatures, during periods of high humidity and if it was currently raining. We found no evidence that the calls were prompted by current atmospheric pressure, but the observation period did not contain many storms.
{"title":"Do sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) call the weather?","authors":"Marissa L. Gillies, Culum Brown","doi":"10.1071/zo23043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23043","url":null,"abstract":"Storms can have significant impacts on wildlife and many animals, including birds, can predict a storm’s arrival and change their behaviour accordingly. Storms are often associated with changes in environmental variables, particularly with a fall in barometric pressure. Social animals may collectively detect and advertise the potential onset of inclement weather to facilitate group responses. The present study tested the hypothesis that the sulphur-crested cockatoo uses environmental cues to predict the onset of storms and communicates this to conspecifics by emitting a specific ‘rain call’. Field observations were made over a four-month period at four locations in greater Sydney. Cockatoo calls were recorded, along with multiple environmental variables: barometric pressure, relative humidity, rainfall and temperature. We also noted the time of day relative to sunrise and sunset. We found that rain calls occurred throughout the day but were most prominent at dawn and were far more common at two of the four study sites. Rain calls were more likely to occur at slightly lower temperatures, during periods of high humidity and if it was currently raining. We found no evidence that the calls were prompted by current atmospheric pressure, but the observation period did not contain many storms.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140221647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ruth Pye, David S Nichols, Sally A. Nofs, Amy T. Gilbert, A. Flies
Oral baits containing vaccines, medicants or toxicants have been delivered to a broad range of wildlife species to protect against or treat disease, or suppress populations. Ethyl-Iophenoxic acid (Et-IPA) is used as a biomarker to determine oral bait consumption by wildlife species to assess and refine baiting strategies. Et-IPA is a persistent biomarker in many eutherian mammal species but not in the two marsupial species, swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) and brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), tested to date. Et-IPA has not previously been evaluated in carnivorous marsupials. The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), the largest extant carnivorous marsupial, is threatened by devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). Development of an oral DFTD vaccine bait is underway. In this study, eight devils were fed between 1 mg and 50 mg Et-IPA via oral baits to assess the effectiveness of Et-IPA as a serum biomarker for this species. Using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, serum Et-IPA was detected in the devils up to 206 days after ingestion. This study demonstrates the utility of Et-IPA for estimating oral bait consumption by devils, the first carnivorous marsupial species to which this applies.
{"title":"Ethyl-Iophenoxic acid as a serum marker for oral baiting of Tasmanian devils","authors":"Ruth Pye, David S Nichols, Sally A. Nofs, Amy T. Gilbert, A. Flies","doi":"10.1071/zo23017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/zo23017","url":null,"abstract":"Oral baits containing vaccines, medicants or toxicants have been delivered to a broad range of wildlife species to protect against or treat disease, or suppress populations. Ethyl-Iophenoxic acid (Et-IPA) is used as a biomarker to determine oral bait consumption by wildlife species to assess and refine baiting strategies. Et-IPA is a persistent biomarker in many eutherian mammal species but not in the two marsupial species, swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) and brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), tested to date. Et-IPA has not previously been evaluated in carnivorous marsupials. The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), the largest extant carnivorous marsupial, is threatened by devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). Development of an oral DFTD vaccine bait is underway. In this study, eight devils were fed between 1 mg and 50 mg Et-IPA via oral baits to assess the effectiveness of Et-IPA as a serum biomarker for this species. Using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, serum Et-IPA was detected in the devils up to 206 days after ingestion. This study demonstrates the utility of Et-IPA for estimating oral bait consumption by devils, the first carnivorous marsupial species to which this applies.","PeriodicalId":55420,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Zoology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140239662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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