A study of the biology of the wild rabbit in climatically different regions in eastern Australia. II. Seasonal changes in the pelt

1965 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Stodart
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Wild Rabbit ◽  
Eastern Australia

A Study of the Biology of the Wild Rabbit in Climatically Different Regions in Eastern Australia V*. The Use of Aerial Surveys to Map the Distribution of Rabbit Warrens over Large Areas of Semiarid North-western New South Wales

1974 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
BS Parker ◽  
K Myers
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Wild Rabbit ◽  
Good Picture ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Aerial Surveys ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Recent Sediments ◽  
North Western ◽  
Arid And Semiarid

Aerial surveys can be used to measure the distribution of rabbit warrens over large areas of arid and semiarid Australia. Clumped patterns of distribution of rabbit warrens found by ground surveys are also detected in aerial surveys, which further show that the highest density of warrens occurs in habitats containing shales or other fine-grained rocks overlain by recent sediments, or those closely related to drainage systems. A good picture of rabbit distribution is obtained when about 25% of the area has been overed by the aircraft. * Part IV, Aust. J. Zool., 1971, 19, 355–70.

Morphometric differences between Australian wild rabbit populations

1977 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 721 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Taylor ◽  
L Freedman ◽  
TJ Olivier ◽  
J McCluskey
Keyword(s):  
Geographic Distance ◽  
Blood Protein ◽  
Eye Lens ◽  
Wild Rabbit ◽  
British Isles ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Skull Measurements ◽  
Canonical Variates ◽  
Univariate Statistics ◽  
Generalized Distance

Morphometric distances, based on 20 skull measurements, were determined between eight localized Australian wild rabbit populations and a sample from the British Isles. To minimize the influence of age-associated variation in the Australian series, only animals estimated to be at least 12 months old (based on epiphyseal and dry eye-lens aging techniques) were included. Sexes were pooled after univariate and multivariate testing for sexual dimorphism and eliminating bizygomatic breadth. By means of univariate statistics, Mahalanobis generalized distance and canonical analysis, the various Australian and British Isles samples were shown to differ appreciably, morphometric distance increasing clinally in eastern Australia with geographic distance from the point of introduction (Geelong, Vic.). Based on a plot of first and second canonical variates, differences between three Canberra area samples were comparable in magnitude to those between certain populations separated by much greater geographic distances. These findings are consistent with results of studies of blood protein variations in Australian wild rabbit populations.

Aspect of the reproductive biology of the Gummy Shark, Mustelus antarcticus Gunther, from waters off the South coast of Western Australia

1990 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 807 ◽  
Author(s):  
RCJ Lenanton ◽  
DI Heald ◽  
M Platell ◽  
M Cliff ◽  
J Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Sexual Maturity ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Mean Size ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Major Target

The gummy shark (Mustelus antarcticus) is a major target species in two substantial shark fisheries that operate in temperate Australian waters. Data on the reproductive biology of M. antarcticus in the waters off south-western Australia were obtained from samples collected by commercial vessels operating from Albany to Esperance, Western Australia. The samples contained a ratio of four females to one male. M. antarcticus is a viviparous, aplacental species. Males mature at a smaller size than females. Since the overwhelming majority of sharks sampled were mature, it was not possible to estimate precisely the mean size at which sexual maturity was attained. Examination of seasonal changes in the development of ova and testes, in uterine contents, and in embryo growth established that the period of parturition, mating and ovulation occurred over the 3 months between early November and early February. The gestation period was 11-12 months. Full-term embryos ranged in size from 30 to 36 cm total length and occurred in a sex ratio of one male to one female. The ovarian and gestational cycles proceed concurrently, with reproduction occurring annually. Only one of the 224 females analysed for uterine content was considered to be in a true post-partum condition. The number of embryos (N) per mother increased with the length of the mother (L) according to the regression N = exp(-4.13398 + 0.049171L). The reproductive biology of females collected off Albany and Esperance differed in some respects from that of females collected off south-eastern Australia.

A Study of the Biology of the Wild Rabbit in Climatically Different Regions in Eastern Australia VI.* Changes in Numbers and Distribution related to Climate and Land Systems in Semiarid North-Western New South Wales.

1975 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Myers ◽  
BS Parker
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Wild Rabbit ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Noticeable Increase ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Land Systems ◽  
North Western

This paper describes a dramatic fall in rabbit populations in a large area of semiarid north-western New South Wales, due to a severe drought, and the increase in numbers which followed. The reduction in numbers differed markedly in different land systems. The areas which supported rabbit populations throughout the study were limited to the proximity of swamps in sandy habitats, and close to drainage channels in stony habitats; populations became extinct over large areas of sandy habitats. In the stony habitats populations increased very rapidly in the 12 months following the breaking of the drought, whereas in the sandy habitats it took c. 3 y before a noticeable increase. The difference was probably a result of differences in survival, due mainly to the effects of predation and to the availability of open warrens. In sandy habitats drift sand buried untenanted warrens very rapidly. The environment affected not only rabbits but also their main predators, the fox and the cat. No cats and very few foxes were observed in stony habitats. The main activities of both species were confined to refuge areas in sandy habitats. The most significant correlation between indices of rabbit numbers and indices of use of rabbit warrens was the number of active burrows per unit area of habitat.

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