Taxonomy and distribution of the grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus Shaw and Macropus Fuliginosus (Desmarest), and their subspecies (Marsupialia : Macropodidae)

1972 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAW Kirsch ◽  
WE Poole
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Double Diffusion ◽  
Starch Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Species Overlap ◽  
Starch Gel ◽  
Western Victoria

Of all the Macropodidae, grey kangaroos cover the widest range in Australia. There is considerable geographical variation in morphology and opinions have differed as to the taxonomic status of the various kinds. This investigation supports a primary division of grey kangaroos into two species-eastern and western on the basis of serological, reproductive, and morphological distinctions. The eastern species, M. giganteus, is found in all eastern states, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, plus south-east South Australia, while the western species, M. fuliginosus, occurs in south-western Western Australia and southern South Australia including Kangaroo I., extending into western Victoria and south-western New South Wales, where the ranges of the two species overlap. Transferrin polymorphism was detected by starch-gel electrophoresis, revealing three phenotypes, A, AB, and B. Western populations possess all three phenotypes, but eastern populations have type A only. Western and eastern grey kangaroos also have characteristic antigens. Eastern animals when immunized with sera from western kangaroos produced antibodies which during double-diffusion analysis reacted with sera from western individuals. Likewise the reverse immunization acted as expected. Thus the origin of individuals, from western or eastern populations, could be determined. Hybrids were not found in the field, but matings between captive western males and eastern females the reverse mating never occurred produced hybrids whose antigens were characteristic of both parental types. In eastern grey kangaroos the mean length of oestrous'cycle, 45.6 days, and gestation period, 36.4 days, is longer than in western kangaroos, with mean lengths 34.9 and 30.6 days. Oestrous cycles of hybrid females and gestation periods of all hybrids are of intermediate length, 37.6 and 34.1 days respectively. The colour of eastern grey kangaroos ranges from light to dark grey while western kangaroos are brown. The history of the previously described taxa and the effect of the current findings on the nomenclature relating to grey kangaroos are discussed.

Population ranges of Miniopterus schreibersii (Chiroptera) in south-eastern Australia

1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 665 ◽  
Author(s):  
PD Dwyer
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Australia ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Navigational Cues ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
South Eastern Australia

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.

Two new genera and five new species of Mugadina-like small grass cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadettini) from Central and Eastern Australia: comparative morphology, songs, behaviour and distributions

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4413 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. EWART
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Comparative Morphology ◽  
New Genera ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Semi Arid

Moulds (2012) established the genus Mugadina for two small cicadas, M. marshalli (Distant) and M. emma (Goding and Froggatt), both grass inhabiting species known from Queensland and New South Wales. Both species are notable for their relatively simple 'ticking' songs. Moulds further noted that there were at least two superficially similar genera of cicadas, but each with different genitalia. This paper describes two new genera of small (9–15 mm body lengths) and distinctive grass cicadas with genitalia that are very similar to those of Mugadina, but possess clear morphological, colour and calling song differences. The new genera are: Heremusina n. gen. with two known species namely H. udeoecetes n. sp. and H. pipatio n. sp.; the second new genus is Xeropsalta n. gen., containing four known species, X. thomsoni n. sp., X. aridula n. sp., X. rattrayi n. sp., and X. festiva n. comb. Heremusina n. gen. species are described from the Alice Springs area of Northern Territory and the Cloncurry area of northwest Queensland, from arid to semi arid habitats. The Xeropsalta n. gen. species are described from western, southwest and central Queensland, and from the Simpson and Strzelecki Deserts in northeastern South Australia and northwestern New South Wales, respectively, all locations in very arid to arid habitats, but close to seasonal (often irregular) rivers and lakes. X. festiva n. comb. occurs in semi arid habitats in southern and southeastern Australia.        Detailed taxonomic descriptions are provided of the new species, together with distributions, habitats, and the calling songs. The Heremusina species emit songs with short repetitive buzzing echemes, the echeme durations differing between each species. The Xeropsalta songs are notable for their complexity, containing multiple elements with rapid changes of amplitudes and temporal structures, rather atypical of the songs of most small grass dwelling cicadas. Detailed song structures distinguishing each of the species are illustrated and interpreted in each case in light of their respective taxonomic status. 

Variation in Phebalium glandulosum subsp. glandulosum: morphometric and anatomical evidence (Rutaceae)

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn L. Giles ◽  
Andrew N. Drinnan ◽  
Neville G. Walsh
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Anatomical Variation ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
New Subspecies ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Climate Analysis ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
North Western

Specimens of Phebalium glandulosum Hook. subsp. glandulosum representing the entire geographic range of the subspecies were examined for morphological and anatomical variation. Phenetic patterns were identified with the pattern analysis package PATN, and three distinct groups were identified. One group consists of plants from inland areas of New South Wales, north-western Victoria, and the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas of South Australia; a second group consists of plants collected from alongside the Snowy River in eastern Victoria and south-eastern New South Wales; and a third group consists of plants from Queensland and northern New South Wales. The climate analysis program BIOCLIM was used to compare climate variables across the geographic range, and showed clear climatic separation in support of the phenetic analysis. The three groups are formally recognised here as distinct subspecies. Plants from Queensland and the Bourke region of northern New South Wales belong to the typical subspecies; plants from north-western Victoria, central New South Wales, and the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas of South Australia form a cohesive assemblage and are recognised as a new subspecies P. glandulosum subsp. macrocalyx; and plants from the Snowy River in far eastern Victoria and the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales form a distinct and isolated group recognised as a new subspecies P. glandulosum subsp. riparium. These new subspecies are formally described, and an identification key and summaries distinguishing all six subspecies of P. glandulosum are presented.

Genetic variation and population subdivison in the greentail prawn Metapenaeus bennettae (Racek & Dall)

1987 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 339 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Salini
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Heterogeneity ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Fumarate Hydratase ◽  
Allele Frequencies ◽  
Starch Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Moreton Bay ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium ◽  
Starch Gel

The genetic structure of M. bennettae populations from six locations on the east coast of Australia was investigated using starch-gel electrophoresis. Eight polymorphic loci (fumarate hydratase, glucose- 6-phosphate isomerase, malate dehydrogenase-1 and -2, mannose-6-phosphate isomerase, octanol dehydrogenase, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and phosphoglucomutase) were examined. All loci over the six sites were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Although low levels of variation typical of penaeid prawns were found, the contingency Χ2 analysis of allele frequencies over all locations revealed considerable genetic heterogeneity. However, pairwise comparisons of adjacent locations showed that most of this genetic heterogeneity was largely attributable to the Moreton Bay-Lake Macquarie comparison. These two locations are the most widely separated adjacent sample sites. Replicate samples from 1982 and 1983 revealed consistency in allele frequencies at Moreton Bay and at Lake Macquarie. These results confirm previously reported genetic heterogeneity between Queensland and New South Wales populations of M. bennettae, but they do not support the report that nearby populations in both Queensland and New South Wales are also heterogeneous.

The Abundance of Kangaroos in Suboptimal Habitats: Wheat, Intensive Pastoral, and Mallee

1982 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 221 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Short ◽  
GC Grigg
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Tree Cover ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Western Victoria

The densities of red and grey kangaroos in western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia were assessed by aerial survey. Much of the 133000-km2 area surveyed was farmed intensively for wheat and sheep but a significant proportion was largely unaltered mallee woodland or mallee heath. Of the total area, 85% had a density of less than one kangaroo per square kilometre, and 32% had a density of less than 0.01 km-2, values considerably lower than those reported for pastoral areas in New South Wales and South Australia. Low densities in settled areas are attributed to intensive agricultural practices, small landholdings and lack of tree cover. Low densities in mallee may be due to the lack of palatable grasses and the absence of permanent watering points.

A revision of Cassinia (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae) in Australia. 7. Cassinia subgenus Achromolaena

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 337
Author(s):  
A. E. Orchard
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Sister Species ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
New Name ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Western Victoria

The present paper completes a revision of the endemic Australian genus Cassinia R.Br. Cassinia subgenus Achromolaena comprises two sections, namely, section Achromolaena of seven species (C. laevis, C. arcuata, C. uncata, C. tenuifolia, C. collina, C. subtropica, and C. quinquefaria), and Cassinia section Siftonia, which contains two species (C. sifton and C. theodorii). Cassinia laevis is divided into western (C. laevis subsp. laevis) and eastern (C. laevis subsp. rosmarinifolia (A.Cunn.) Orchard, comb. et stat. nov.) taxa. Examination of the type of C. arcuata showed that this name is synonymous with C. paniculata, and applies to a relatively rare taxon with whitish capitula arranged in short erect compact panicles, and found in Western Australia, the midlands of South Australia, western Victoria and (formerly) south-western New South Wales. Furthermore, it belongs to section Achromolaena. The taxon with red to brown capitula, widespread throughout south-eastern Australia, which until now has been (incorrectly) known as C. arcuata (Sifton bush) is distinct, but lacks a published name. The name Cassinia sifton Orchard, sp. nov. is here proposed for this taxon. An unfortunate outcome of this discovery is that the sectional name Cassinia section Arcuatae, with C. arcuata as type, becomes synonymous with section Achromolaena. The new name Cassinia section Siftonia is proposed to accommodate Sifton bush (C. sifton) and its narrowly endemic sister species C. theodorii. A summary of the whole genus is provided, with keys to all taxa. Three former subspecies of C. macrocephala are raised to species rank (C. petrapendula (Orchard) Orchard, C. storyi (Orchard) Orchard, C. tenuis (Orchard) Orchard), and it is suggested that C. furtiva Orchard may be conspecific with C. straminea (Benth.) Orchard.

Area of Distribution, Movements, Age Composition and Mortality Rates of the Australian Salmon Population in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales

1978 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 417 ◽  
Author(s):  
CA Stanley
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
South Australia ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Salmon Population ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
Age Range

Two subspecies of the Australian salmon, a perciform fish, occur in eastern Australian waters. The western subspecies, Arripis trutta esper (Whitley), is found only in Tasmania and Victoria. In Tasmanian waters fish do not occur above an age of 2+ years. In Victoria about 300 000 fish (180 tonnes) of an age range from of to 5+ years are caught annually. The younger age groups are found in sheltered areas, and the older age groups along the open coastline, especially in western Victoria. Returns of tags from fish thought to be of the western subspecies indicate that movement towards Western Australia takes place via western Victoria and South Australia, rather than by a direct seawards movement. For the eastern subspecies, Arripis trutta marginata (Cuvier & Valenciennes), young fish from 0+ to 2+ years are found predominantly in Tasmania and Victoria, and older fish from 4+ years in New South Wales. Recaptures of tagged fish indicate that there is a continual movement at all stages of the life cycle from Tasmania to Victoria and then to New South Wales. Fish within New South Wales also show evidence of a movement southwards, which probably occurs only once, to the eastern Bass Strait area. Fish older than 5+ years move increasingly northwards in New South Wales waters. For the eastern subspecies estimates of M, the instantaneous annual natural mortality coefficient, range from 0.5 to 1.0, and estimates of F, the instantaneous annual fishing mortality coefficient, range from 0.3 to 0.7. It is suggested that in the present eastern subspecies fishery greater yields should result from increasing the fishing pressure up to about twice the present value.

In A Fix: Fixed-Term Parliaments in the Australian States

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-298
Author(s):  
Peter Congdon
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Constitutional Amendments ◽  
South Wales

Constitutional systems of Westminster heritage are increasingly moving towards fixed-term parliaments to, amongst other things, prevent the Premier or Prime Minister opportunistically calling a ‘snap election’. Amongst the Australian states, qualified fixed-term parliaments currently exist in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia have also deliberated over whether to establish similar fixed-term parliaments. However, manner and form provisions in those states' constitutions entrench the Parliament's duration, Governor's Office and dissolution power. In Western Australia and Queensland, unlike Tasmania, such provisions are doubly entrenched. This article considers whether these entrenching provisions present legal obstacles to constitutional amendments establishing fixed-term parliaments in those two states. This involves examining whether laws fixing parliamentary terms fall within section 6 of the Australia Acts 1986 (Cth) & (UK). The article concludes by examining recent amendments to the Electoral Act 1907 (WA) designed to enable fixed election dates in Western Australia without requiring a successful referendum.

Revision of the Australian species of Agrotera Schrank (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae: Spilomelinae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4362 (2) ◽  
pp. 213 ◽  
Author(s):  
KAI CHEN ◽  
MARIANNE HORAK ◽  
XICUI DU ◽  
DANDAN ZHANG
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Male Genitalia ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Australian Species ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Two New Species

The genus Agrotera Schrank, 1802 is revised for Australia and the generic definition is refined based on the male genitalia. The genera Leucinodella Strand, 1918 stat. rev. with L. leucostola (Hampson, 1896) comb. nov., Nistra Walker, 1859 stat. rev. with N. coelatalis Walker, 1859 comb. rev., Sagariphora Meyrick, 1894 stat. rev. with S. magnificalis (Hampson, 1893) comb. nov., and Tetracona Meyrick, 1884 stat. rev. with T. amathealis (Walker, 1859) comb. rev. and T. pictalis Warren, 1896 comb. rev. are removed from synonymy with Agrotera, as they lack the synapomorphies of Agrotera. Two new species, Agrotera genuflexa sp. nov. from Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales, and A. longitabulata sp. nov. from Queensland, are described. The taxonomic status of the Australian species of Agrotera is discussed, and a key to all species, based on males, is provided. The adults and genitalia of the new species and some related species are figured. 

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