Australian Biological Resources Study
Issue 26
Australian Biological Resources Study, April 2002
ISSN 0814 B8880
| New Grantee Publication - Tadpoles of South-eastern Australia: A Guide with Keys | ||||
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Article by The mysterious disappearance of frog species throughout the world is causing consternation among zoologists and environmentalists. In Queensland's mountain rainforest streams, extinctions and declines are rapid and some are reaching epidemic proportions. Environmental agencies, community groups and concerned individuals everywhere are desperately seeking clues to what is really happening. The first step is to find out what frogs are where - and that is not as easy as it sounds. Most Australian frogs are small elusive and nocturnal. Tadpoles, however, are easier to find. While some tadpoles are recognised as the larvae of certain frog species, many have remained unidentified. Only now with my new publication, Tadpoles of South-eastern Australia, can we begin to identify with confidence the species to which a tadpole belongs. The first part of this book deals with frog classification, developmental stages, collecting and raising tadpoles and conservation issues. Part two is concerned with keying out the tadpole species with the aid of finely detailed line drawings. There is even a key to frog eggs, as they too, have distinctive features. Part three describes in detail the life cycles of 84 species of tadpoles living in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and just over the border into Queensland. Each species is illustrated with colour photographs and carefully executed drawings of the tadpoles. With over 260 photographs and 300 line drawings, this book represents a body of work that will be drawn upon as a reference for many years to come. On Friday, 1 February 2002 this book was launched at the Hallstrom Theatre, Australian Museum hosted by the NSW Frog and Tadpole Study Group and New Holland Publishers. Guest speakers included Dr Hal Cogger, an outstanding Australian reptile and amphibian expert, and Stan Orchard who is the coordinator of the World Wide Fund for Nature/Rio Tinto National Frogs! Programme. Hal Cogger was a previous chairman of the ABRS Advisory Committee, plus Deputy Director of the Australian Museum, while Stan Orchard is the coordinator of the Frogs! programme which aims to assist frog conservation in Australia through funding pure and applied science, education, community-based conservation and species recovery. ABRS congratulates Marion Anstis for the completion of her outstanding book! A GROUND-BREAKING NEW BOOK ....Supported by ABRS in 1999 and co-sponsored by WWF This unique book is set to make a big impact in Australia and across the world as an outstanding contribution to our knowledge of the fascinating life histories of our frogs, many of which are now in decline and in great need of conservation.
Available from book shops and the publishers (see below) from 12th January 2002.
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| New Grantee Publication - Guide to Squid, Cuttlefish and Octopuses of Australasia |
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Article by ABRS-funded research has enabled a quantum leap in our knowledge of the octopuses of Australia's coastal waters. ABRS sponsored comprehensive diving field surveys along Australia's south and west coasts from 1998 to 2000. These surveys mainly consisted of night scuba dives and intertidal reef walks at regular intervals along the coast from Adelaide to Broome, completing an Australia-wide survey of these creatures over the past decade. The surveys resulted in the discovery of numerous new species of octopus, raising the Australian tally to 76 species of which 59 were discovered in the last 10 years. This diversity is the highest reported for octopuses for any region in the world. On one Western Australian stretch of coastline alone, nine new octopus species were encountered in the same number of dives. This rich octopus fauna is also incredibly diverse in form, habitats and behaviour. They come in all shapes and sizes, from pygmies fully mature at the size of a jelly bean to 3m arm-span monsters. The list includes long-armed arm-droppers, squat muscular species, camouflage experts, sand-swimmers and four new poisonous blue-ringed octopus species (each with their own signature iridescent blue colour patterns). New species were encountered in diverse habitats from mudflats to intertidal rocky shores, coral reefs, rocky reefs, lagoons, surf zones, seagrass beds, sand plains and rubble banks. Pygmy species were found to be associated with specific microhabitats such as small coral heads or kelp holdfasts. The information resulting from this study includes:
All other cephalopods (squid, cuttlefish and nautilus) encountered in the course of these surveys also were observed, photographed and where necessary collected as voucher specimens. Additional new species were recognised amongst these groups. The resulting information and images of all encountered cephalopods have contributed to a number of publications. These include formal taxonomic descriptions, contributions to fisheries reviews (for the Food and Agriculture Organisation, UN), and papers on unique behavioural or morphological attributes. Live animal images and information have been collated into two popular field guide books. "A Guide to Squid, Cuttlefish and Octopuses of Australasia" (Norman and Reid) was published through CSIRO Publishing and the Gould League in May 2000. "Cephalopods: a world guide" (Norman) was published by IKAN Publishing and ConchBooks in English, German and Spanish in October 2000. The Guide to Squid, Cuttlefish and Octopuses of Australasia is available for $29.95 from: CSIRO PUBLISHING |