The Rainforest Ant Fauna of Australia's Northern Territory

1996 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Reichel ◽  
AN Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Introduced Species ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
New Records ◽  
East Asian ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Pheidole Megacephala ◽  
Asian Species ◽  
As Species ◽  
Total Species

An ant survey of Northern Territory (NT) rainforests, which occur as numerous small and isolated patches within a predominantly savanna landscape, yielded 173 species from 46 genera. The richest genera were Polyrhachis (22 species), Pheidole (21 species), Rhytidoponera (12 species) and Monomorium (12 species). Seven genera represented new records for the NT: Discothyrea, Prionopelta, Machomyrma, Strumigenys, Bothriomyrmex, Turneria and Pseudolasius. The most common ants were Generalised myrmicines, particularly species of Pheidole and Monomorium, and Opportunists such as species of Paratrechina, Tetramorium, Odontomachus and Rhytidoponera. This is also the case in rainforests of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Of NT rainforest species, 59% have Torresian (tropical) affinities, which is only slightly higher than in Kimberley rainforests (48%). However, the NT harbours a far higher proportion of specialist rainforest species (27 v. 9%), including many more with arboreal nests (13 v. 5% of total species). Many of the rainforest specialists are of considerable biogeographic interest, with a substantial number having disjunct distributions in the NT and Queensland (and often also New Guinea) A small number represent the only known Australian records of south-east Asian species. Interestingly, very few species appear to be endemic to NT rainforests, with a previously unrecorded species of Aphaenogaster being a probable exception. The NT rainforest fauna also includes several introduced species, with at least one (Pheidole megacephala) posing a serious conservation threat.

Parasites of the Agile Wallaby, Macropus Agilis (Marsupialia).

1983 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Speare ◽  
I Beveridge ◽  
PMCLA Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
New Record ◽  
Bile Ducts ◽  
New Records ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Pathological Changes ◽  
Portal Veins

The parasites found at necropsy of 63 M. agilis from Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory included 18 species of nematodes, 4 of cestodes, 2 of trematodes, 2 of ticks, a louse, a mite and 3 species of protozoa. The most prevalent (>50%) of the helminths were Cloacina spp. (primarily C. australis and C. cornuta) in the stomach, Progamotaenia proterogyna in the small intestine, Labiostrongylus labiostrongylus and Strongyloides sp. in the stomach, Gongylonema alecturae in the oesophagus and stomach, Hypodontus macropi in the caecum and colon and Macropostrongylus macropostrongylus in the stomach. Filarinema sp. and Strongyloides sp. (both undescribed) are new records for this host. Pathological changes were associated with gastric nematodes, P. festiva in the bile ducts, Gemellicotyle wallabicola (new record for Australia) in the stomach, Macropotrema pertinax in the caecum and Durikainema macropi in the portal veins.

Australian Unionicola (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Unionicolidae), with the description of two new subgenera and eight new species

Zootaxa ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 1674 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
HARRY SMIT
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Additional Data ◽  
New Records ◽  
Northern Territory

This paper deals with Australian Unionicola species, collected from all over the continent. Two new subgenera are described, Vidrineatax new subgen. and Geikienicola new subgen., as well as eight new species: U. (Kovietstax) crassiseta n. sp., U. (Downesatax) curvipalpis n. sp., U. (Geikienicola) insolita n. sp., U. (Downesatax) latiseta n.sp., U. (Downesatax) longipalpis n. sp., U. (Vidrineatax) pilosa n. sp., U. (Giselatax) trisetica n. sp. and U. (Giselatax) uncatiseta n. sp. The subgenus Smithatax is synonymised under the subgenus Downesatax. Thus 11 of the now 56 subgenera in the genus Unionicola are known from Australia. Furthermore, the first description is given of the female of U. flabelliseta Cook. Additional data are provided for U. cirrosa Koenike. Many new records are presented, especially for the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

A revision of the water beetle genus Gymnochthebius Orchymont (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae) for Australia and Papua New Guinea

Zootaxa ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 1024 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
PHILIP D. PERKINS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
South Australia ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Water Beetle ◽  
Microhabitat Preferences ◽  
Papua New Guinean

The Australian and Papua New Guinean species of the water beetle genus Gymnochthebius Orchymont, 1943, are revised, based on the study of 4,904 specimens. The genus is redescribed, and redescriptions are provided for G. australis (Blackburn), G. brisbanensis (Blackburn), G. clarki (Deane), G. levis (Deane), G. lividus (Deane), G. notalis (Deane), and G. tenebricosus (Deane). Lectotypes are designated for Ochthebius australis Blackburn, 1888, and Ochthebius tenebricosus Deane, 1931. Ochthebius fischeri Deane, 1931, and Ochthebius leai Deane, 1931, are synonymized with Ochthebius australis Blackburn, 1888; Ochthebius flavocinctus Deane 1933, is synonymized with Ochthebius lividus Deane, 1933; and Ochthebius angustipennis Deane, 1931, is synonymized with Ochthebius clarki Deane, 1931. Twenty-nine new species are described, and a key to the 36 species known from Australia and Papua New Guinea is given. High resolution digital images of all primary types are presented (online version in color), the male genitalia are illustrated, and Australian geographic distributions are mapped. Only one species, G. clarki, inhabits both Australia and Papua New Guinea; two species, G. bacchusi n. sp. and G. papua n. sp. are endemic to Papua New Guinea; 33 species are endemic to Australia. Members of Gymnochthebius are found at the gravelly/sandy/silty margins of flowing and standing water. A preliminary grouping of species according to microhabitat substrate is presented. Correspondences between ventral morphology and microhabitat preferences suggest that a few species are evolving toward humicolous habits. New species of Gymnochthebius are: G. angulonotus (Queensland, Tinaroo Creek Road via Mareeba), G. bacchusi (Papua New Guinea, Morobe District, c. 7 miles Lae Bulolo Road), G. benesculptus (South Australia, Warburton River, 1 km N White Bull Yard Kalamurina Stn.), G. coruscus (South Australia, Warburton River, 1 km N White Bull Yard Kalamurina Stn.), G. fontinalis (South Australia, Elizabeth (Mound) Springs, 7 km NW Coward Springs R.S.), G. fumosus (New South Wales, Sydney), G. hesperius (Western Australia, Lyndon River Bridge), G. inlineatus (Western Australia, Millstream, creek near Deep Reach), G. lustrosulcus (Queensland, Cloncurry), G. minipunctus (Northern Territory, Palm Valley), G. nanosetus (Northern Territory, Roderick Creek, Gregory National Park), G. nicki (Victoria, Possum Hollow falls, West branch Tarwin River, 5.6 km SSW Allambee), G. nigriceps (South Australia, Mound Spring near Coward Springs), G. papua (Papua New Guinea, Morobe District, ca. 10 km S Garaina Saureri), G. perpunctus (South Australia, Somme Creek, between Angaston and Sedan), G. pluvipennis (South Australia, Warburton

New records of aturid water mites from Australia (Acari: Hydrachnidia; Aturidae), with the description of fifteen new species

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4425 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
HARRY SMIT
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
New Records ◽  
New South ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Water Mites ◽  
Water Mite ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Mite Family

The following fifteen new species are described of the water mite family Aturidae from Australia: Austraturus cavatus n. sp., A. denticulatus n. sp., A. dilatipalpis n. sp., A. extendens n. sp., A. sagittalis n. sp., A. triprojectus n. sp., A. villosus n. sp. and Axonopsella bipartita n. sp., A. carnarvon n. sp., A. curtiseta n. sp., A. elongata n. sp., A. kakadu n. sp., A. magniseta n. sp., A. purpurea n. sp. and A. rosea n. sp.. New records are given for Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Northern Territory and Western Australia. New distributional records are provided for many species. 

scholarly journals FLORISTIC STUDY OF MEKONGGA PROTECTED FOREST: TOWARDS ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MEKONGGA NATIONAL PARK

REINWARDTIA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Anita Widjaja ◽  
Daniel Potter
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
South America ◽  
Introduced Species ◽  
National Park ◽  
New Records ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Baseline Data ◽  
Floristic Study ◽  
Time Of Collection

Mekongga is one of the highest mountains in Southeast Sulawesi. The Mekongga region was declared as protected forest in 1994, after logging had been done in this area. A floristic study of this forest was conducted from 2009 through 2011 by visiting the area twice a year, once each during the dry and wet seasons, and collecting specimens from the flowering and fruiting plants. Other species were also recorded, but most of them cannot be identified because the plants were too young or were not in flower or fruit at the time of collection.  Specimens of 855 species in 155 families were collected, of which 5% (44 species) are endemic to Sulawesi and 11% (91 species) are introduced species from China, South America, India, or even Madagascar.  In addition, new records for Sulawesi were collected from Mekongga for species originally recorded from Java (50 species), Malaysia (35 species), the Philippines (28 species), New Guinea (14 species), Sumatera (13 species), Borneo (11 species), Moluccas (4 species), and the Lesser Sunda Islands (3 species). Based on these data, it seems that species have mostly migrated to Mekongga from Java, then from Malaysia and the Philippines. More than 10 new species are proposed from this area, including a bamboo (Poaceae) and members of the families Orchidaceae, Gesneriaceae, Melastomataceae, Myrtaceae, and Araliaceae. Further study of the floristic account will be done, which can be used as baseline data in support of an important proposal to designate the Mekongga area as a national park.

Morphological and genetic relationships among populations of Scotorepens sanbomi (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Papua, New Guinea, Australia and Indonesia.

1994 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
D.J. Kitchener ◽  
M. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Genetic Relationships ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Wing Loading ◽  
The West ◽  
West Timor ◽  
Western Australian ◽  
Discriminant Function Analyses

Skull and external morphology and the genetic relationships of Scotorepens sanbomi individuals were studied for populations in Papua New Guinea, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia and West Timor (a recently discovered population). Discriminant function analyses showed that animals from West Timor were large and similar in size and shape to those from Papua New Guinea and Queensland; their skull dimensions were closer to Queensland animals whereas their external dimensions were closer to Papua New Guinea animals. The West Timor, Papua New Guinea and Queensland animals were considerably larger in skull', external and baculum measurements than the Western Australian animals. The Northern Territory animals were intermediate, but closer to the Western Australian animals. The latter also showed some proportional (shape) differences from animals in these other populations. The largest animals (West Timor) had a relatively high wing loading and higher aspect ratio than the smallest (Western Australia) animals. This suggests that on West Timor the species forage in less cluttered airspace, probably higher above the vegetation, than their counterparts from Western Australia. Allozyme electrophoresis of 3lloci revealed considerable genetic heterogeneity between the populations (Nei Ds range 0.023- 0.158). The West Timor population was genetically most similar to the Western Australia and Northern Territory populations and most divergent from both the Queensland and New Guinea populations.

Notes on Strychnos L. (Loganiaceae) in Australia

1993 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 309
Author(s):  
BJ Conn ◽  
EA Broen
Keyword(s):  
East Asian ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
The South ◽  
Australian Species ◽  
Asian Species

Four species of Strychnos are recognised for Australia (S. arboren, S. lucida, S. minor and S. psilosperma). The South-east Asian species, Strychnos axillaris is excluded from Australia, being regarded as extending no further south than New Guinea. A key to the Australian species, together with descriptions, distributional, habitat. and other notes are provided.

Food of Eight Species of Columbidae, in the Genera Geopelia, Phaps, Geophaps and Petrophassa.

1976 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
HJ Frith ◽  
TO Wolfe ◽  
RD Barker
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Rock Pigeon ◽  
Feeding Habitat ◽  
Port Moresby ◽  
North Western

Crop or gizzard contents were studied for Columbidae from north of Western Australia, Northern Territory, south of Southern Australia and Waigani Swamp near Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Food was mainly seeds, listed in tables by botanical name, volume and frequency or by the number of gizzards or crops in which each was found. Some species ate small amounts of vegetative parts or insects.Results for Geopelia humeralis (bar-shouldered dove) and Geopelia striata (peaceful dove) suggest difference in feeding habitat though they were collected together from Waigani Swamp or subcoastal Northern Territory. Results for Petrophassa albipennis (white-quilled rock pigeon) and Phaps histrionica (flock pigeon) from north Western Australia and Northern Territory suggested an effect of drought on composition of feed. Other species studied were Geopelia cuneata (diamond dove), Geophaps smithii (partridge pigeon), Phaps elegans (brush bronzewing) and Petrophassa rufipennis (chestnut-quilled rock pigeon).

Four new species of Splendid Ghost Moths (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae: Aenetus) from Australia and Papua New Guinea

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4809 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-474
Author(s):  
ETHAN P. BEAVER ◽  
MICHAEL D. MOORE ◽  
JOHN R. GREHAN ◽  
ALEJANDRO VELASCO-CASTRILLÓN ◽  
MARK I. STEVENS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
New Caledonia ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Coi Gene ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
Gene Sequences ◽  
Mtdna Coi

Four new Aenetus Herrich-Schäffer species are described from northern Australasia; Aenetus simonseni sp. nov. from the top-end of the Northern Territory, Australia, A. maiasinus sp. nov. from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, A. trigonogrammus sp. nov. from south-eastern Queensland, Australia, and A. albadamanteum sp. nov. from eastern Papua New Guinea. Aenetus simonseni sp. nov. and A. maiasinus sp. nov. appear to belong to the tegulatus-group of species (sensu Grehan et al. 2018), A. trigonogrammus sp. nov. is part of the splendens-group of species (sensu Simonsen 2018), while A. albadamanteum sp. nov. shares morphological similarities with A. hampsoni (Joicey & Noakes, 1914), A. crameri Viette, 1956, and A. toxopeusi Viette, 1956, from New Guinea, and A. cohici Viette, 1961 from New Caledonia. The four new species are illustrated and compared with superficially similar species in morphology and, for two species, molecular (mtDNA COI gene) sequences. 

Helminth parasites of the grassland melomys (Muridae : Hydromyinae) from Australia and Papua New Guinea

2005 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 369 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. R. Smales
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Host Species ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Helminth Species ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
South Wales

This study documents the helminth assemblages of grassland melomys: Melomys burtoni (Ramsay, 1887), Melomys sp. cf. burtoni and Melomys lutillus (Thomas, 1913). In total, 22 helminth species comprising one cestode and 21 nematodes from 112 hosts were found. All the specimens of Physaloptera spp. examined proved to be Physaloptera banfieldi Johnston & Mawson, 1941 with P. troughtoni Johnston & Mawson, 1941 the junior synonym. The dominant helminth group was the trichostrongyloid nematodes including Odilia melomyos (Mawson, 1961) and O. mackerrasae (Mawson, 1961). The most prevalent, O. melomyos, occurred in each of the host species across all areas sampled (New South Wales, Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, Queensland and Western Australia). The helminth assemblage of M. burtoni from hosts from New South Wales and Queensland was the most diverse. The helminths of M. burtoni from the Northern Territory and of M. lutillus from Papua New Guinea were subsets of that assemblage. That of M. cf. burtoni from Western Australia, with only six helminth species, was not dominated by trichostrongyloids, three of the six species were not found in other localities, and, with Sorensen’s Indices of 18.2% when compared with the helminths from Papua New Guinea and the Northern Territory and 24% when compared with Queensland, was the least similar. No substantial differences were found between the helminth assemblages of the grassland melomys group, excluding M. cf. burtoni, and Melomys cervinipes (Gould, 1852), the fawn footed melomys. This was reflected in a Sorensen’s Index of 67.9%. The time between the arrival of Melomys into Australia during the Pleistocene and the present day suggests that the trichostrongyloids O. melomyos, O. mackerrasae and O. mawsonae (Durette-Desset, 1969) may have travelled with their rodent hosts from New Guinea to Australia and other helminths in the assemblage may have been acquired in Australia.

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