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Australia harbors the most diverse lizard assemblages on Earth, yet the biodiversity of its vast arid zone remains incompletely characterized. Recent sampling of remote regions has revealed new species with unique phenotypes and unclear evolutionary affinities. Here, we describe a new species of scincid lizard that appears to be widely distributed across the Great Victoria Desert and adjacent regions. The new species was previously overlooked among specimens of the wide-ranging desert taxon Ctenotus schomburgkii but is distinguished from it by coloration and scalation characters. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and genome-wide nuclear loci confirmed that the new species is highly divergent from C. schomburgkii, with which it appears to be sympatric across much of its range. In addition to the new species, our survey of genetic variation within C. schomburgkii as currently recognized revealed three additional lineages that approach one another in southern and northwestern Australia, and which may also represent distinct species. These results suggest that our knowledge of the extraordinary biodiversity of arid Australia remains incomplete, with implications for the conservation and management of this unique fauna. The targeted collection of voucher specimens in undersampled regions, coupled with population genetic screening of lineage diversity, will be crucial for characterizing species boundaries and understanding the composition of Australia’s vertebrate communities.

Abstract Mouse spiders (genus Missulena Walckenaer, 1805) are a lineage of trapdoor spiders with males of many species having a brightly coloured red cephalic region, an abdomen that is tinged metallic blue, and the habit of wandering during the day in search of a mate. A total of 17 species of Missulena have been described in Australia to date but most descriptions are based exclusively on males and always small numbers of specimens. Here, we describe three new species of Missulena from the Pilbara and Goldfields regions of Western Australia based on morphology and genetic data: Missulena davidisp. nov. (male and female), M. iugumsp. nov. (male) and M. manningensissp. nov. (male). One of them is presently known only from its type locality and another one from a small range based on two specimens but M. davidi sp. nov. has a linear range of almost 300 km and is genetically highly structured. We use genetic data for 75 specimens as a foundation to evaluate morphological variability in this species and note substantial variation in several characters commonly used to identify species such as body size, colouration, rastellum shape and eye distances. This variation does not necessarily relate to phylogeographic structure as inferred from the genetic data, but rather seems to reflect natural variability both within and between localised populations. Overall, our results stress the need to evaluate a large series of specimens for mygalomorph taxonomy and provide an interesting example of intraspecific variability in hard-to-collect species that are usually underrepresented in museum collections.

Only a single blind species is known in the centipede family Scolopendridae, representing the monotypic genus Tonkinodentus Schileyko, 1992, from Vietnam. All of more than 400 other species have four ocelli on each side of the cephalic plate. A complex of three new blind species of the genus Cormocephalus Newport, 1844, is described from the subterranean fauna of the central Pilbara region of Western Australia. Phylogenies based on sequence data for the barcode region of COI and a concatenated matrix that also includes 12S rRNA, 28S rRNA and ITS2 unite the blind Pilbara species as a monophyletic group, albeit with moderate bootstrap support, informally named the C. sagmus species group. Cormocephalus sagmus, C. pyropygus and C. delta spp. nov. supplement 17 epigean congeners previously described from Australia. The new species are all morphologically similar, but can be distinguished using the shape and spinulation of the ultimate leg prefemur. Two additional genetically distinct lineages were recovered that are not described, owing to the specimens being immature or lacking diagnostic morphological characters. The subterranean radiation in the Pilbara is more closely related to species from forests in the south-west of Western Australia than to congeners from the arid zone. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6F67FD31-A373-4DC5-A5FD-374D32DEE02C

The stygofaunal family of Bathynellidae, is an excellent group to study the processes that shape diversity and distribution, since they have unknown surface or marine relatives, high level of endemism, and limited dispersal abilities. Recent research on Bathynellidae in Western Australia (Pilbara) has uncovered new taxa with unexpected distributions and phylogenetic relationships, but the biogeographical processes that drive their diversification on the continent are still unclear. By exploring the diversity, distribution, and divergence time of Bathynellidae in a setting such as the perched and isolated aquifers of the Cleaverville Formation in the north of the De Grey River catchment (Pilbara), we aim to test the hypothesis that vicariance has shaped the distribution of this family, specifically if one or multiple vicariant events were involved. We analysed the specimens collected from perched water in different plateaus of the Cleaverville Formation, combining morphological and molecular data from mitochondrial and nuclear genes. We described two new species and genera (Anguillanella callawaensis gen. et sp. nov. and Muccanella cundalinensis gen. et sp. nov.), and two additional taxa are recognised using morphology and/or Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery and Poisson Tree Processes species delimitation methods. New genera and species result restricted to isolate perched aquifers on single plateaus and their distributions, phylogenetic relationships, and divergence time estimates support multiple vicariant events and ancient allopatric speciation.

The schizomid fauna of mainland Australia currently comprises 60 species within seven named genera, of which five are endemic to the continent: Attenuizomus Harvey, 2000, Brignolizomus Harvey, 2000, Draculoides Harvey, 1992, Julattenius Harvey, 1992, Notozomus Harvey, 2000. Most Australian schizomids have been described from eastern and northern Australia, but there is also a significant subterranean fauna that has been found in hypogean habitats in the semi-arid Pilbara region of Western Australia. The vast majority of these species can be assigned to the genus Draculoides and this study is the first in a proposed series to revise this highly diverse genus. We treat the species found in the western Pilbara region, which includes 13 new species and 13 previously named species, using morphological characters and multi-locus sequence data. We also incorporate a molecular “mini-barcode” approach for COI, 12S and ITS2 to diagnose the new species. The new species are named: Draculoides akashae Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. belalugosii Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. carmillae Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. christopherleei Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. claudiae Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. immortalis Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. karenbassettae Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. mckechnieorum Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. minae Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. noctigrassator Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. nosferatu Abrams and Harvey, n. sp., D. piscivultus Abrams and Harvey, n. sp. and D. warramboo Abrams and Harvey, n. sp. We also provide the first descriptions of males of D. anachoretus (Harvey, Berry, Edward and Humphreys, 2008) and D. gnophicola (Harvey, Berry, Edward and Humphreys, 2008). All of the new species are subterranean-dwelling, short-range endemic species that occur in regions subject to mining activities, rendering them of high conservation significance.

The open-holed trapdoor spider genus Aname L. Koch is widely distributed across mainland Australia and Tasmania, and currently includes 34 named species. Many species are poorly known, and their descriptions based on female type material only render their identification difficult, as the best taxonomic characters are usually found on the adult male pedipalp and first leg. To better understand the diversity of Aname in Western Australia, we present descriptions of 11 new species primarily distributed in arid ecosystems: A. baileyorum sp. nov., A. frostorum sp. nov., A. grothi sp. nov., A. lorica sp. nov., A. mcalpinei sp. nov., A. munyardae sp. nov., A. nitidimarina sp. nov., A. sinuata sp. nov., A. vernonorum sp. nov., A. watsoni sp. nov. and A. whitei sp. nov. All species are described from adult males but we were only able to confidently associate females of A. lorica, A. sinuata, A. watsoni and A. whitei. DNA sequence data were obtained for six species and were used to test morphological species hypotheses and where possible to match females and juveniles with males. Haplotype networks for A. lorica, A. sinuata and A. whitei, demonstrate that there is significant genetic structure within these species, corresponding to geographically isolated populations. We also provide the first sequence data for specimens of Aname mainaeRaven, 2000 collected from near the type locality in South Australia.

Historical population contraction and expansion events associated with Pleistocene climate change are important drivers of intraspecific population structure in Australian arid-zone species. We compared phylogeographic patterns among arid-adapted Dasyuridae (Sminthopsis and Planigale) with close phylogenetic relationships and similar ecological roles to investigate the drivers of phylogeographic structuring and the importance of historical refugia. We generated haplotype networks for two mitochondrial (control region and cytochrome b) and one nuclear (omega-globin) gene from samples distributed across each species range. We used &Phi, ST to test for a genetic population structure associated with the four Pilbara subregions, and we used expansion statistics and Bayesian coalescent skyline analysis to test for signals of historical population expansion and the timing of such events. Significant population structure associated with the Pilbara and subregions was detected in the mitochondrial data for most species, but not with the nuclear data. Evidence of population expansion was detected for all species, and it likely began during the mid-late Pleistocene. The timing of population expansion suggests that these species responded favorably to the increased availability of arid habitats during the mid-late Pleistocene, which is when previously patchy habitats became more widespread. We interpret our results to indicate that the Pilbara region could have acted as a refugium for small dasyurids.

The complexity and biologically challenging nature of arid landscapes can generate high inter‐ and intra‐species diversity, although these biomes remain poorly studied. We investigated whether prominent geomorphic features in an Australian arid landscape had similar influences on patterns of intra‐specific genetic diversity of three small mammals with different distribution and life history traits. Specifically, we tested (a) whether mountain ranges harbour high diversity and act as refugia, (b) the extent to which ephemeral river systems pose barriers to gene flow or (c) whether environmental differences explain genetic structure in these species.

‘Slow science’ approaches to understanding the ecology, natural history and demography of species have declined over recent decades, despite the critical importance of these studies to conservation biology. With the progression of the Anthropocene, populations of invertebrates are under increasing pressure across the globe, yet few long-term datasets exist to track potential changes or declines. Here, we present a newly developed ‘slow science’ study system, to understand the demography, biology and molecular ecology of a potentially threatened species of giant idiopid trapdoor spider from inland eastern Australia. This previously undescribed species in the tribe Euoplini, here newly described as Euoplos grandis Wilson & Rix sp. nov., has a highly fragmented distribution in the southern Brigalow Belt bioregion of south-eastern Queensland, in a landscape largely cleared for cropped agriculture. The conservation significance of Idiopidae has long been recognised, and these spiders remain a flagship group for terrestrial invertebrate conservation in Australia. By studying growth rates, life spans, recruitment, natural history, fitness, gene flow, dispersal and other aspects of population and individual health, we aim gradually to uncover the population dynamics of a discrete natural population. In this paper, we summarise longitudinal data for 69 individual trapdoor spiders following an initial 18 months of study, and highlight preliminary demographic trends, biological observations and avenues for future genetic research. Ultimately, the aim of this study is to provide a baseline dataset for the conservation of Australian Idiopidae, and a guiding case study for similar taxa elsewhere in Australia.

The aganippine shield-backed trapdoor spiders of the monophyleticnigrum-group ofIdiosomaAusserers. l.are revised, and 15 new species are described from Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia:I.arenaceumRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.corrugatumRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.clypeatumRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.dandaraganRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.formosumRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.gardneriRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.gutharukaRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.incomptumRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.intermediumRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.jarrahRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.kopejtkaorumRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.kwonganRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.mcclementsorumRix & Harvey,sp. n.,I.mcnamaraiRix & Harvey,sp. n., andI.schoknechtorumRix & Harvey,sp. n.Two previously described species from south-western Western Australia,I.nigrumMain, 1952 andI.sigillatum(O. P.-Cambridge, 1870), are re-illustrated and re-diagnosed, and complementary molecular data for 14 species and seven genes are analysed with Bayesian methods. Members of thenigrum-group are of long-standing conservation significance, andI.nigrumis the only spider in Australia to be afforded threatened species status under both State and Commonwealth legislation. Two other species,I.formosumRix & Harvey,sp. n.andI.kopejtkaorumRix & Harvey,sp. n., are also formally listed as Endangered under Western Australian State legislation. Here we significantly relimitI.nigrumto include only those populations from the central and central-western Wheatbelt bioregion, and further document the known diversity and conservation status of all known species.

The open-holed trapdoor spiders of the genus Teyl Main, 1975 from the Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia are investigated. A single endemic species from the southern Pilbara, T. heuretes sp. nov., is newly described, representing the northern-most occurrence of the genus in Australia. Legacy molecular data for Australian Nemesiidae, along with newly generated sequences for all described species of Teyl known from Western Australia, are analysed using Maximum Likelihood methods, providing molecular data for T. heuretes and an expanded phylogenetic assessment of the genus.

The species of the millipede genus Antichiropus Attems, 1911 found in the Pilbara region of Western Australia are reviewed, and 33 new species are described. The new species are: A. anguinus Car, n. sp., A. antius Car, n. sp., A. apricus Car, n. sp., A. cirratus Car, n. sp., A. confragus Car, n. sp., A. cristatus Car, n. sp., A. cucumeraceous Car, n. sp., A. cunicularis Car, n. sp, A. echinus Car, n. sp., A. filiolus Car, n. sp., A. forcipatus Car, n. sp., A. georginae Car, n. sp., A. gibbus Car, n. sp., A. hystricosus Car, n. sp., A. julianneae Car, n. sp., A. literulus Car, n. sp., A. lucyae Car, n. sp., A. nicholasi Car, n. sp., A. nimbus Car, n. sp., A. patriciae Car, n. sp., A. pendiculus Car, n. sp., A. picus Car, n. sp., A. procerus Car, n. sp., A. quaestionis Car, n. sp., A. rupinus Car, n. sp., A. salutus Car, n. sp., A. servulus Car, n. sp., A. simmonsi Car, n. sp., A. sloanae Car, n. sp., A. spathion Car, n. sp., A. uvulus Car, n. sp., A. verutus Car, n. sp. and A. vindicatus Car, n. sp.. The number of described Antichiropus species now stands at 72. Two species (A. julianneae Car, n. sp. and A. pendiculus Car, n. sp.) lack one diagnostic feature of the genus, namely a solenomere process, but are included here because they conform to the genus definition in all other characters. We also obtained sequence data from four mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 [COI], cytochrome c oxidase subunit 3 [COIII], cytochrome B [CytB], and 12S rRNA [12S]), and one nuclear gene (28S rRNA [28S]) for 19 species. Three main clades were recovered: one in the northern Pilbara, one in the southern Pilbara, and one just outside the south-western margin of the Pilbara.

Upland freshwater habitats support populations that are especially susceptible to anthropogenic change. Furthermore, their isolation from other suitable habitats, and the fragmented, dendritic structure of headwaters make dispersal an unlikely response to change. We investigated genetic structure and variation in the northern-most population of Gadopsis marmoratus, which is isolated in a tiny area in the headwaters of the Condamine River catchment, in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia. Strong genetic structure was detected among subpopulations based on microsatellites (FST = 0.173, p < 0.0001) and mitochondrial (mt)DNA (FST = 0.369, p < 0.05). Effective population size was low, ranging between 18.8 and 48.2, depending on the estimation method used. Bayesian clustering revealed 3 genetic clusters, but they were not congruent with drainage patterns, suggesting a complex history of dispersal among headwaters that are isolated by waterfalls. Overall, these results suggest that G. marmoratus is unlik...

Michael G Rix, Joel A Huey, Barbara Y Main, Julianne M Waldock, Sophie E Harrison, Sarah Comer, Andrew D Austin and Mark S Harvey

The formation of the Australian arid zone, Australia’s largest and youngest major biome, has been recognized as a major driver of rapid evolutionary radiations in terrestrial plants and animals. Here, we investigate the phylogenetic diversity and evolutionary history of subterranean short-tailed whip scorpions (Schizomida: Hubbardiidae), which are a significant faunal component of Western Australian hypogean ecosystems. We sequenced two mitochondrial (12S, COI) and three nuclear DNA markers (18S, 28S, ITS2) from ∼600 specimens, largely from the genera Draculoides and Paradraculoides, including 20 previously named species and an additional 56 newly identified operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Phylogenetic analyses revealed a large and rapid species radiation congruent with Cenozoic aridification of the continent, in addition to the identification of a new genus in Western Australia and the first epigean schizomid from the Pilbara. Here, we also synonymise Paradraculoides with Draculoides (new synonymy), due to paraphyly and a lack of reliable characters to define the two genera. Our results are consistent with multiple colonisations of the subterranean realm from epigean ancestors as their forest habitat fragmented and retracted, with ongoing fragmentation and diversification of lineages underground. These findings illustrate the remarkable diversity and high incidence of short-range endemism of Western Australia’s subterranean fauna, which has important implications for identifying and managing short-range endemic subterranean fauna. They also highlight the advantages of including molecular data in subterranean fauna surveys as all specimens can be utilized, regardless of sex and life stage. Additionally, we have provided the first multi-gene phylogenetic framework for Australian schizomids, which will enable researchers and environmental consultants to identify new taxa or align them to existing lineages.

Like other crustacean families, the Parabathynellidae is a poorly studied subterranean and aquatic (stygobiontic) group in Australia, with many regions of available habitat having not yet been surveyed. Here we used a combined approach of molecular species delimitation methods, applied to mitochondrial and nuclear genetic data, to identify putative new species from material obtained from remote subterranean habitats in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Based on collections from these new localities, we delineated a minimum of eight and up to 24 putative new species using a consensus from a range of molecular delineation methods and additional evidence. When we placed our new putative species into the broader phylogenetic framework of Australian Parabathynellidae, they grouped with two known genera and also within one new and distinct Pilbara-only clade. These new species significantly expand the known diversity of Parabathynellidae in that they represent a 22% increase to the 109 currently recognised species globally. Our investigations showed that sampling at new localities can yield extraordinary levels of new species diversity, with the majority of species showing likely restricted endemic geographical ranges. These findings represent only a small sample from a region comprising less than 2.5% of the Australian continent.

In Australia, climate change and continental drift have given rise to a complex biota comprising mesic specialists, arid-adapted lineages, and taxa that have arrived on the continent from Asia. We explore the phylogenetic diversity and biogeographic history of the Australian trapdoor spider genus Conothele Thorell, 1878 that is widespread in Australia’s monsoonal tropics and arid zone. We sequenced three mtDNA and five nuDNA markers from 224 specimens. We reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships among specimens and estimated the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using species delimitation methods. The timing of divergences was estimated and ancestral area reconstructions were conducted. We recovered 61 OTUs, grouped into four major clades; a single clade represented by an arboreal ecomorph, and three fossorial clades. The Australian Conothele had a crown age of ~19 million years, and ancestral area reconstructions showed a complex history with multiple transitions among the monsoonal tropics, central arid zone, south-west and Pilbara bioregion. Conothele arrived on the continent during periods of biotic exchange with Asia. Since then, Conothele has colonised much of the Australian arid and monsoonal zones, during a period of climatic instability. The Pilbara bioregion harbours high lineage diversity, emphasising the role of climate refugia.

In the past 20 years, the number of subterranean taxa discovered in Australia, especially in the Pilbara bioregion, has considerably increased due to incidental environmental surveys often associated with mining development. Bathynellidae are an important component of stygofauna and they occur in most Australian aquifers, but their collection and identification are difficult due to their habitat, and small and fragile bodies with conservative morphology. The study of Pilbaranella ethelensis in the upper Fortescue catchment contributed to a better understanding of the group at local scale, but knowledge at larger catchment scale is still limited. Abundant material collected by different environmental consultant companies on behalf of mining companies allowed an accurate analysis of the populations of Central Hamersley Range bathynellids. A new genus and one new species from the lower Fortescue catchment, Fortescuenella serenitatis gen. et sp. nov., is described using an approach that integrates morphological and molecular data. Three additional lineages are defined through morphology and DNA sequencing, using Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery and Poisson Tree Processes species delimitation methods. Based on previous knowledge on bathynellids and other stygofauna we expected to find multiple taxa, geographically restricted, possibly related to each other and to Pilbaranella genus described upstream of the Fortescue catchment. The phylogenetic reconstruction of the relationships among known lineages of the family in the Pilbara highlights a pattern of distribution characterized by a complex evolutionary history that does not reflect contemporary surface water catchments, suggesting a diversification that preceded the aridification processes started in the north of Western Australia during the Miocene. This study also clarifies the status of the 'cosmopolitan' Bathynella by excluding the Australian bathynellids from this genus., This work was supported by: Australian Government’s Australian Biological Resources Study, National Taxonomy Research Grant Program (ABRS-NTRGP) [CT214-13]; Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) scholarship at Edith Cowan University; Gorgon Barrow Island Net Conservation Benefits Fund; International Conference on Subterranean Biology 2008 Grant; P project (MINECO/FEDER, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain [CGL2015-66571].

In many intermittent, dryland rivers, fish are confined to isolated waterholes for much of the year. It is only during brief flow events, which typify the hydrology of these systems, that fish are able to move between waterholes and explore surrounding habitat. Because most of the river channel will dry afterwards, there is a strong advantage for selection of persistent waterholes. Two hundred and fifteen individual fish of three common large-bodied species were tagged in two isolated waterholes in the Moonie River (Queensland, Australia) over 3years. Their movements were monitored to identify the flow events that trigger fish movement between waterholes, differences in response among species and size classes and refuge selection preferences. Some individuals of all species moved during flow events and others remained within the same waterhole. There was no clear upstream or downstream preference, and most individuals used a reach of up to 20km, although some individuals ranged over more than 70km in only several days. Above a threshold flow of 2m above commence-to-flow level, timing of flow was more important than magnitude, with most movement occurring in response to the first post-winter flow event, independent of its magnitude and duration. Many of the fish that moved displayed philopatry and subsequently returned to their starting waterhole either by the end of a flow event or on subsequent events, suggesting ability to navigate and a preference for more permanent refuge pools. Maximising survival in a highly variable environment provides a plausible mechanism for maintaining these behaviours. Modifications to both flow regime and hydrological connectivity may reduce movement opportunities for fish in intermittent rivers. Our findings show that fish in intermittent systems use networks of waterholes and that management and conservation strategies should aim to maintain movement opportunities at large spatial scales to preserve population resilience.

It seems obvious to say that research can provide benefits to multiple stakeholders and that stakeholder involvement is more often than not essential for research to proceed. Concrete examples of these mutual dependencies are valuable, where industry, government agencies and biological studies increase each others’ potential and efficiencies. In the past 20 years the number of subterranean taxa discovered in Australia, especially in the Pilbara bioregion, has increased consistently thanks to environmental and biological surveys, often associated with mining development, but the investment on research needed to understand this vast biodiversity is far from what is required. The family Bathynellidae (Crustacea) occur in most Australian aquifers, but collecting them is not simple and their study and identification are very difficult due to their small and fragile bodies and their conservative morphology. Additionally, the poor and incomplete description of the type genus and species of this family (Bathynella natans Vejdovsky, 1882) have led to the assignment of many species occurring around the world, including Australia, to this genus. The taxonomic framework is therefore not well defined and their biodiversity and distribution assessments needed by government agencies become challenging. This research started with a collaboration with different environmental consultants who provided a conspicuous number of specimens collected through several years, which allowed an accurate analysis of specific aquifers. Studies of Bathynellidae populations occurring in different areas produced results useful to inform mining companies on species distribution and groundwater connectivity, underling the importance of cooperation among stakeholders. Morphological and molecular data reveal new genera and species with fascinating relationships, and the collection of some fresh material from type localities belonging to Bathynella clarifies the position of this “cosmopolitan” genus. This example demonstrates (again) the value of research as both underpinning, and supplementing, existing knowledge to improve the management and monitoring of the delicate subterranean environment and its resources.

The utility of restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to resolve fine-scale population structure was tested on an abundant and vagile fish species in a tropical river. Australia’s most widespread freshwater fish, the “extreme disperser” Leiopotherapon unicolor was sampled from 6 locations in an unregulated system, the Daly River in Australia’s Northern Territory. Despite an expectation of high connectivity based on life history knowledge of this species derived from arid zone habitats, L. unicolor was not a panmictic population in the tropical lower Daly. Using ~14000 polymorphic RADseq loci, we found a pattern of upstream versus downstream population subdivision and evidence for differentiation among tributary populations. The magnitude of population structure was low with narrow confidence intervals (global FST = 0.014; 95% CI = 0.012–0.016). Confidence intervals around pairwise FST estimates were all nonzero and consistent with the results of clustering analyses. This population structure was not explained by spatially heterogeneous selection acting on a subset of loci, or by sampling groups of closely related individuals (average within-site relatedness ≈ 0). One implication of the low but significant structure observed in the tropics is the possibility that L. unicolor may exhibit contrasting patterns of migratory biology in tropical versus arid zone habitats. We conclude that the RADseq revolution holds promise for delineating subtle patterns of population subdivision in species characterized by high within-population variation and low among-population differentiation.

Compared with araneomorph spiders, relatively few mygalomorph spiders have evolved an obligate existence in subterranean habitats. The trapdoor spider genus Troglodiplura Main, 1969 and its sole named species T. lowryi Main, 1969 is endemic to caves on the Nullarbor Plain of southern Australia, and is one of the world’s most troglomorphic mygalomorph spiders. However, its systematic position has proved to be difficult to ascertain, largely due to a lack of preserved adults, with all museum specimens represented only by cuticular fragments, degraded specimens or preserved juveniles. The systematic placement of Troglodiplura has changed since it was first described as a member of the Dipluridae, with later attribution to Nemesiidae and then back to Dipluridae. The most recent hypothesis specifically allied Troglodiplura with the Neotropical subfamily Diplurinae, and therefore was assumed to have no close living relatives in Australia. We obtained mitochondrial sequence data from one specimen of Troglodiplura to test these two competing hypotheses, and found that Troglodiplura is a member of the family Anamidae (which was recently separated from the Nemesiidae). We also reassess the morphology of the cuticular fragments of specimens from several different caves, and hypothesise that along with T. lowryi there are four new troglobitic species, here named T. beirutpakbarai Harvey & Rix, T. challeni Harvey & Rix, T. harrisi Harvey & Rix, and T. samankunani Harvey & Rix, each of which is restricted to a single cave system and therefore severely threatened by changing environmental conditions within the caves. The first descriptions and illustrations of the female spermathecae of Troglodiplura are provided. The family Anamidae is further divided into two subfamilies, with the Anaminae Simon containing Aname L. Koch, 1873, Hesperonatalius Castalanelli, Huey, Hillyer & Harvey, 2017, Kwonkan Main, 1983, Swolnpes Main & Framenau, 2009 and Troglodiplura, and the Teylinae Main including Chenistonia Hogg, 1901, Namea Raven, 1984, Proshermacha Simon, 1909, Teyl Main, 1975 and Teyloides Main, 1985. ZooBank Registration: http://zoobank.org/References/2BE2B429-0998-4AFE-9381-B30BDC391E9C

The pseudoscorpions of the genus Garypus L. Koch are restricted to seashore habitats where they occupy supralittoral and littoral zones primarily in tropical and subtropical areas. Few species have been recorded from the Indo-West Pacific region, and this project was devised to produce a review of the species found in museum collections and to test the relationships of the various garypid genera using a molecular analysis and an assessment of their morphology. A new subfamily classification is proposed with the subfamilies Garypinae, including Garypus and the new genus Anchigarypus Harvey (type species Garypus californicus Banks), and the Synsphyroninae for the other genera (Ammogarypus Beier, Anagarypus Chamberlin, Elattogarypus Beier, Eremogarypus Beier, Meiogarypus Beier, Neogarypus Vachon, Paragarypus Vachon, Neogarypus Vachon, Synsphyronus Chamberlin, and Thaumastogarypus Beier). The species-level revision of Garypus provides evidence for at least 14 species, most of which are known from only single localities. The following species are redescribed: G. insularis Tullgren from the Seychelles, G. krusadiensis Murthy & Ananthakrishnan from India and Sri Lanka, G. longidigitus Hoff from Queensland, Australia, G. maldivensis Pocock from the Maldives, G. nicobarensis Beier from the Nicobar Islands and G. ornatus Beier from the Marshall Islands. The holotype of G. insularis is a tritonymph, and not therefore readily identifiable. Nine new species are described: G. latens Harvey, sp. nov., G. malgaryungu Harvey, sp. nov., G. necopinus Harvey, sp. nov., G. postlei Harvey, sp. nov., G. ranalliorum Harvey, sp. nov. and G. weipa Harvey, sp. nov. from northern Australia, G. dissitus Harvey, sp. nov. from Cocos-Keeling Island, G. reong Harvey, sp. nov. and G. yeni Harvey, sp. nov. from Indonesia. A further possible new species from Queensland is described but not named, as it is represented by a single tritonymph. The subspecies of the Caribbean species G. bonairensis Beier are elevated to full species status: G. bonairensis, G. realini Hummelinck and G. withi Hoff. We supplement the descriptions with sequence data from five specimens from four species of Garypus and two species of Anchigarypus, and find COI divergence levels of 7–19% between Garypus species. http://zoobank.org/References/16463E29-6F13-4392-9E41-46A4312C852B

Amphidromy, the dispersal of larvae to the estuarine or marine environment with juveniles recolonising fresh waters to complete development, is common on tropical islands. This has led to the suggestion that amphidromy is an adaptation to hydrologically unpredictable environments, allowing recolonisation after local extinction (dispersal-limitation hypothesis). Alternatively, amphidromy may be more common in streams with stronger flow, as high tractive forces flush larvae into the estuarine/marine environment, forcing them to recolonise (passive dispersal hypothesis). We tested these hypotheses in a continental gobiid fish, the Roman Nose Goby (Awaous acritosus) that inhabits hydrologically and physically diverse catchments on the east coast of Australia. We measured 87Sr/86Sr along transects of the otoliths of 92 adult fish from 12 catchments, identified migratory life histories from these data and correlated the proportion of migratory fish with key environmental variables. This information was augmented with data from mtDNA (n = 276) and six microsatellite loci (n = 429) from 19 catchments, to explore gene flow among catchments and to assess whether local adaptation was likely in the face of high or restricted gene flow. Estimates of 87Sr/86Sr along transects revealed high variation in life history, with 63% of individuals showing no evidence of marine/estuarine residence. The slope of catchments was the only significant variable associated with the proportion of larvae retained in catchments, with steep catchments having a greater proportion of adults exhibiting a marine/estuarine phase during early life. Total panmixia was detected with mtDNA and six microsatellite loci, suggesting that gene flow is high for this species. These results support the passive dispersal hypothesis. Steep slopes are likely to have higher tractive forces in their flow, leading to a greater proportion of larvae being flushed into the estuary or sea. In addition, high gene flow would inhibit local adaptation, making the dispersal-limitation hypothesis unlikely. This study provides a framework for understanding how local adaptation may be constrained by gene flow across the landscape so that the adaptive or passive mechanism underlying facultative amphidromy can be explored.

Migratory life cycles and population structure of 2 putatively diadromous Australian fishes were examined using otolith chemistry (87Sr/86Sr) and genetics (microsatellites and mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid [mtDNA]). Australian whitebait (Lovettia sealii) is widely considered to be one of only a few anadromous fish species in the southern hemisphere. The congolli or tupong (Pseudaphritis urvillii) is reported to undertake an unusual form of sexually segregated catadromous migration, where females switch habitats between marine and freshwater, while males remain in marine or estuarine environments. Sr-isotope profiles of L. sealii showed this species does not move into fully freshwater habitats during its life cycle, suggesting it should be considered semi-anadromous or estuarine-dependent, rather than truly anadromous. This life-history strategy is unique among the Galaxiidae. Lovettia sealii is regionally divided into at least 3 well differentiated genetic stocks: northern and southern Tasma...

The Australian Monsoonal Tropics (AMT) is a unique location for the study of phylogeography and intraspecific genetic variation in freshwater fish. We assessed the phylogeographic structure of 5 species from 2 genera across the region. The species included 3 neosilurids (Plotosidae, Neosilurus hyrtlii, Neosilurus ater, and Neosilurus pseudospinosus) and 2 members of the genus Oxyeleotris (Eleotridae, O. selheimi and O. lineolata). We used mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) and phylogenetic analyses to explore the phylogeographic histories of these species. Overall, phylogeographic patterns were inconsistent. Some species were highly structured, and phylogeographic breaks were detected (e.g., N. hyrtlii, N. pseudospinosus, and O. selheimi), but other species showed no obvious divergences across the AMT (N. ater and O. lineolata). All species sampled in the Gulf of Carpentaria had shallow phylogenies, consistent with the expectation that historically, Lake Carpentaria would have provided co...

Several freshwater fishes have disjunct (geographically discrete and widely spaced) distributions across northern Australia. We used mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) data and phylogeographic analyses to examine the origin of these common disjunct distributions and to test the hypothesis that they were a result of a single biogeographic event. These disjunct distributions are not perfectly shared among species, but we selected 3 species that have wide ranges with the most similar disjunct geographic overlap: Spotted Blue Eye (Pseudomugil gertrudae), Pennyfish (Denariusa australis), and MacCulloch’s Rainbow Fish (Melanotaenia maccullochi). Despite similarity in their present-day disjunct distributions, spatial genetic patterns varied considerably among the 3 species in terms of measures of molecular diversity, number of mtDNA lineages within each species, inter- and intra-regional spatial distribution of individual lineages within species, and degree of partitioning of genetic variation a...

Southern smelts (Retropinna spp.) in coastal rivers of Australia are facultatively diadromous, with populations potentially containing individuals with diadromous or wholly freshwater life histories. The presence of diadromous individuals is expected to reduce genetic structuring between river basins due to larval dispersal via the sea. We use otolith chemistry to distinguish between diadromous and nondiadromous life histories and population genetics to examine interbasin connectivity resulting from diadromy. Otolith strontium isotope ((87) Sr:(86) Sr) transects identified three main life history patterns: amphidromy, freshwater residency and estuarine/marine residency. Despite the potential for interbasin connectivity via larval mixing in the marine environment, we found unprecedented levels of genetic structure for an amphidromous species. Strong hierarchical structure along putative taxonomic boundaries was detected, along with highly structured populations within groups using microsatellites (FST = 0.046-0.181), and mtDNA (ΦST = 0.498-0.816). The presence of strong genetic subdivision, despite the fact that many individuals reside in saline water during their early life history, appears incongruous. However, analysis of multielemental signatures in the otolith cores of diadromous fish revealed strong discrimination between river basins, suggesting that diadromous fish spend their early lives within chemically distinct estuaries rather than the more homogenous marine environment, thus avoiding dispersal and maintaining genetic structure.

Population genetic theory has identified several threats to small populations that have the potential to endanger species in the short and long term. Understanding these threats is particularly pertinent when management actions, such as stocking, have the potential to exacerbate them. In this study we explore existing genetic variation in the threatened Mary River Cod, Maccullochella mariensis, which has had a long stocking history in its endemic populations (Mary River and Tinana–Coondoo Creek) and has been translocated into other catchments in Southeast Queensland (SEQ). Using Bayesian clustering analysis, two genetically distinct sub-populations were detected (Mary and SEQ vs. Tinana–Coondoo), despite decades of stocking from one population (Tinana–Coondoo) into the other (Mary). Overall, genetic diversity (1–9 alleles per locus) and N e (18–56) were low, but bigger in the Mary, relative to Tinana–Coondoo. Interestingly, evidence for historical unidirectional gene flow from Tinana–Coondoo into the Mary was detected, which was not as strongly reflected using contemporary estimators, suggesting stocking has not dramatically altered the existing genetic structure for this species. These results provide an opportunity for managers to strategically design stocking protocols and to improve the condition of this species in the wild.

Summary 1. Effective management of aquatic fauna requires knowledge of the ways in which populations in different catchments and sub-catchments are connected. A powerful way to estimate this is using genetic markers, which provide information on the average amount of genetic connectivity among populations over generations. Although many studies of genetic connectivity have appeared in the literature, there are innumerable species that have not been studied. 2. This study explores whether it is possible to make broad generalisations about population connectivity, based on readily available information in the form of species life history and architecture of the aquatic habitat. 3. A number of models have been proposed to explain the pattern of connectivity shown by aquatic species with different life-history characteristics, for example, the stream hierarchy model, Isolation by Distance, the Death Valley Model, the headwater model and panmixia. 4. In this study, we propose a dichotomous key to assign species to different models of potential connectivity. The key is based on a few very simple questions about the life history of the species and the geographical arrangement of study sites. We then assessed the performance of the key with 109 data sets of Australian fish and macroinvertebrates, using genetic data to provide an estimate of realised connectivity. 5. The realised connectivity fitted the proposed potential connectivity model in over 70% of cases, and we suggest this might be a useful initial approach for managers where empirical data are lacking.

The contemporary and historical colonization capacity of an Australian freshwater fish, north-west glassfish Ambassis sp., was tested using mtDNA sequence data and six newly developed microsatellite loci in an endoreic basin in central Australia. Overall, Ambassis sp. exhibited weak genetic structure within catchments, suggesting some capacity to recolonize extirpated waterholes after disturbance. Genetic structure revealed that the historical pattern of connectivity among catchments in the Lake Eyre Basin was dramatically different from other species studied in this region. Two highly divergent clades were detected in separate catchments in the basin. mtDNA from individuals sampled in catchments north of the Lake Eyre Basin suggest that Ambassis sp. has colonized on two separate occasions from catchments in northern Australia, subsequently generating two highly divergent lineages.

The western rainbowfish (Melanotaenia australis) is one of the most common and highly abundant freshwater fish endemic to north-western Australia. It shows extensive geographic variation in their colour pattern. Genetic study revealed spatial population structure in this species that could be a possible threat to its existence. Therefore we designed and isolated 15 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers for M. australis for use in population studies across its distribution. We screened these primers across 32 individuals from the Daly River and found between 4 and 22 alleles per locus. The observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.345 to 1.000. These markers will be now available for future studies of population structure across its natural range and to assist in management as well as future conservation.

The Australian schizomid fauna consists of eight genera distributed across the northern half of the country, and are mostly restricted to rainforest or subterranean ecosystems. Several schizomid species have been previously described from the arid Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia, occurring in subterranean cavities that are accessible only by troglofauna sampling. We document the schizomids from subterranean habitats on the western edge of the Hamersley Range using morphological characters and sequence data from the genes COI, ITS2 rRNA, 12S rRNA and 28S rRNA. Several genetic clades were found to cluster geographically, consistent with the geomorphology of the region. Adult males were available for four clades (Paradraculoides affinis sp. nov., P. cochranus sp. nov., P. confusus sp. nov. and P. trinity sp. nov.), females only were present for two clades (P. catho sp. nov. and P. obrutus sp. nov.), and only a single juvenile was available for another clade (P. celatus sp. nov.). We hypothesize that each of these clades represent distinct species which are here named and described.

The genetic structure of the freshwater fish Ambassis macleayi Castelnau 1878 was explored across the tropical catchments of the Gulf of Carpentaria Basin, northern Australia. The Gulf of Carpentaria provides a unique opportunity to explore simultaneously contemporary and historical gene flow resulting from unique climatic patterns and historical connectivity among catchments via a freshwater lake that existed during lower sea levels. The control region of the mtDNA genome and 4 microsatellite loci were used to detect significant genetic structure among and within catchments. Within catchments, genetic structure suggested that dispersal of A. macleayi is restricted, despite high levels of connectivity during summer monsoonal events. Among catchments, divergence appeared to be deeper than what would be predicted based on the last opportunity for connectivity via the lake of Carpentaria (∼10,000 years before present [ybp]). Overall, these results have important implications for A. macleayi and other...

The methods used to detect and describe morphologically cryptic species have advanced in recent years, owing to the integrative nature of molecular and morphological techniques required to elucidate them. Here we integrate recent phylogenomic work that sequenced many genes but few individuals, with new data from mtDNA and morphology from hundreds of gecko specimens of theGehyra variegatagroup from the Australian arid zone. To better understand morphological and geographical boundaries among cryptic forms, we generated new sequences from 656Gehyraindividuals, largely assigned toG. variegatagroup members over a wide area in Western Australia, with especially dense sampling in the Pilbara region, and combined them with 566Gehyrasequences from GenBank, resulting in a dataset of 1,222 specimens. Results indicated the existence of several cryptic species, from new species with diagnostic morphological characters, to cases when there were no useful characters to discriminate among genetically distinctive species. In addition, the cryptic species often showed counter-intuitive distributions, including broad sympatry among some forms and short range endemism in other cases. Two new species were on long branches in the phylogram and restricted to the northern Pilbara region: most records of the moderately sizedG. incognitasp. nov. are near the coast with isolated inland records, whereas the small-bodied saxicolineG. unguiculatasp. nov. is only known from a small area in the extreme north of the Pilbara. Three new species were on shorter branches in the phylogram and allied toG. montium. The moderately sizedG. cryptasp. nov. occurs in the western and southern Pilbara and extends south through the Murchison region; this species was distinctive genetically, but with wide overlap of characters with its sister species,G. montium. Accordingly, we provide a table of diagnostic nucleotides for this species as well as for all other species treated here. Two small-bodied species occur in isolated coastal regions:G. capensissp. nov. is restricted to the North West Cape andG. ocellatasp. nov. occurs on Barrow Island and other neighbouring islands. The latter species showed evidence of introgression with the mtDNA ofG. cryptasp. nov., possibly due to recent connectivity with the mainland owing to fluctuating sea levels. However,G. ocellatasp. nov. was more closely related toG. capensissp. nov. in the phylogenomic data and in morphology. Our study illustrates the benefits of combining phylogenomic data with extensive screens of mtDNA to identify large numbers of individuals to the correct cryptic species. This approach was able to provide sufficient samples with which to assess morphological variation. Furthermore, determination of geographic distributions of the new cryptic species should greatly assist with identification in the field, demonstrating the utility of sampling large numbers of specimens across wide areas.

Summary 1. Flow regime and riverine architecture are two important landscape characteristics that influence genetic diversity and gene flow in riverine species. 2. Using population genetic markers (mtDNA, microsatellites and allozymes), this study aimed to investigate genetic diversity and gene flow in the freshwater fish, Neosilurus hyrtlii, across two major drainage divisions in northern and central Australia (the Gulf of Carpentaria and Lake Eyre basins). These basins lie adjacent to each other and differ in their hydrological inputs and riverine structure, providing an ideal opportunity to identify the impact of landscape processes upon population dynamics of freshwater fish. 3. Populations were strongly structured among basins, among catchments within basins and were weakly structured within catchments in the Lake Eyre Basin, providing support for the Stream Hierarchy Model. 4. Interestingly, mtDNA and microsatellite diversity was much higher in the Gulf of Carpentaria Basin compared to the Lake Eyre Basin. It was concluded that this difference was due to the extreme hydrological variability in this basin and boom-bust population cycles resulting in smaller effective population sizes in the Lake Eyre Basin.

The Australian lungfish is a unique living representative of an ancient dipnoan lineage, listed as ‘vulnerable’ to extinction under Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Historical accounts indicate this species occurred naturally in two adjacent river systems in Australia, the Burnett and Mary. Current day populations in other rivers are thought to have arisen by translocation from these source populations. Early genetic work detected very little variation and so had limited power to answer questions relevant for management including how genetic variation is partitioned within and among sub-populations. In this study, we use newly developed microsatellite markers to examine samples from the Burnett and Mary Rivers, as well as from two populations thought to be of translocated origin, Brisbane and North Pine. We test whether there is significant genetic structure among and within river drainages; assign putatively translocated populations to potential source populations; and estimate effective population sizes. Eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci genotyped in 218 individuals gave an average within-population heterozygosity of 0.39 which is low relative to other threatened taxa and for freshwater fishes in general. Based on F ST values (average over loci = 0.11) and STRUCTURE analyses, we identify three distinct populations in the natural range, one in the Burnett and two distinct populations in the Mary. These analyses also support the hypothesis that the Mary River is the likely source of translocated populations in the Brisbane and North Pine rivers, which agrees with historical published records of a translocation event giving rise to these populations. We were unable to obtain bounded estimates of effective population size, as we have too few genotype combinations, although point estimates were low, ranging from 29 - 129. We recommend that, in order to preserve any local adaptation in the three distinct populations that they be managed separately.

Using genetic techniques (mtDNA, microsatellites and allozymes), this study investigated patterns of gene flow in two plotosid catfish species (Neosilurus hyrtlii and Porochilus argenteus), at various hierarchical scales in the dryland rivers of western Queensland, Australia. The study area constituted two major catchments, Cooper and Darling, representing arid and semiarid systems, respectively. Results generally conformed to expectations, with high levels of gene flow observed within catchments and limited contemporary gene flow evident across catchment boundaries. However, the isolation between catchments was more recent than expected, occurring approximately 40 000-72 000 years ago. Also contrary to predictions, genetic structure within the Cooper catchment did not fit the stream hierarchy model of genetic differentiation, which there was evidence of in the Darling catchment. This was hypothesized to relate to the different climatic regimes and hydrological inputs in each system, leading to a more genetically homogeneous system in the Cooper than in the Darling system.

The number of subterranean taxa discovered in the north of Western Australia has substantially increased due to the requirements for environmental surveys related to mining development. Challenges in estimating subterranean biodiversity and distributions are related to lack of knowledge of taxa with convergent morphological characters in a largely unobservable ecosystem setting. An integrated approach is warranted to understand such complexity. Bathynellidae occur in most Australian aquifers, but only one species has been described so far, and the group lacks a reliable taxonomic framework. A new genus and one new species from the Pilbara region of Western Australia, Pilbaranella ethelensis, gen. et sp. nov., is described using both morphological and molecular data. Three additional species of Pilbaranella are defined through mitochondrial and nuclear genes, using Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery and Poisson Tree Processes species delimitation methods. A comparison of morphology and 18S rRNA sequences between Pilbaranella, gen. nov. and known lineages provides the evidentiary basis for the decision to establish a new genus. This study provides a morphological and molecular framework to work with Bathynellidae, especially in Australia where a highly diverse fauna remains still undescribed.

Summary It is exciting to be living at a time when the big questions in biology can be investigated using modern genetics and computing [1]. Bauza-Ribot et al. [2] take on one of the fundamental drivers of biodiversity, the effect of continental drift in the formation of the world's biota [3,4], employing next-generation sequencing of whole mitochondrial genomes and modern Bayesian relaxed molecular clock analysis. Bauza-Ribot et al. [2] conclude that vicariance via plate tectonics best explains the genetic divergence between subterranean metacrangonyctid amphipods currently found on islands separated by the Atlantic Ocean. This finding is a big deal in biogeography, and science generally [3], as many other presumed biotic tectonic divergences have been explained as probably due to more recent transoceanic dispersal events [4]. However, molecular clocks can be problematic [5,6] and we have identified three issues with the analyses of Bauza-Ribot et al. [2] that cast serious doubt on their results and conclusions. When we reanalyzed their mitochondrial data and attempted to account for problems with calibration [5,6], modeling rates across branches [5,7] and substitution saturation [5], we inferred a much younger date for their key node. This implies either a later trans-Atlantic dispersal of these crustaceans, or more likely a series of later invasions of freshwaters from a common marine ancestor, but either way probably not ancient tectonic plate movements.

The trapdoor spider family Nemesiidae comprises 14 genera in Australia, the majority of which are included in the subfamily Anaminae. Here we provide evidence from a multigene molecular analysis of most Australian genera of Anaminae for a previously unrecognised clade that also differs from its sister-genus, Aname L. Koch, by the lack of a prominent asetose ventral depression on the pedipalpal tibia and the medium-sized mating spur on tibia I of males. This depression is a characteristic of all species of Aname examined to date, and represents a newly recognised character system in the subfamily. The new genus, named Hesperonatalius, is represented by three new species – H. maxwelli, sp. nov., H. harrietae, sp. nov. and H. langlandsi, sp. nov. – all from arid Western Australia. http://zoobank.org/References/D5352390-5D21-49DD-A123-A074422EB860

Fully troglobitic pseudoscorpions are rare in the Afrotropical Region, and we explored the identity and phylogenetic relationships of specimens of a highly modified troglobite of the family Gymnobisiidae in the dark zone of the Wynberg Cave system, on Table Mountain, South Africa. This large pseudoscorpion – described as Gymnobisium inukshuk Harvey & Giribet, sp. nov. – lacks eyes and has extremely long appendages, and has been found together with other troglobitic fauna endemic only to this cave system. Phylogenetic analyses using the nuclear ribosomal genes 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA and the mitochondrial protein-encoding gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I unambiguously place the new species with other surface Gymnobisium from South Africa. This placement receives strong support and is stable to analytical treatments, including static and dynamic homology, parsimony and maximum likelihood, and data removal for ambiguously aligned sites. This species is the first troglobitic species of the family and one of the most highly modified pseudoscorpions from the Afrotropical Region. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5227092B-A64B-4DB3-AD90-F474F0BA6AED

The phylogenetic relationships of the Australian species of Feaellidae are assessed with a molecular analysis using mitochondrial (CO1) and nuclear (ITS2) data. These results confirm the morphological analysis that three previously undescribed species occur in the Pilbara bioregion, which are named and described: Feaella (Tetrafeaella) callani, sp. nov., F. (T.) linetteae, sp. nov. and F. (T.) tealei, sp. nov. The males of these three species, as well as males of F. anderseni Harvey and other unnamed species from the Kimberley region of north-western Australia, have a pair of enlarged, thick-walled bursa that are not found in other feaellids. Despite numerous environmental impact surveys for short-range endemic invertebrates in the Pilbara, very few specimens have been collected, presumably due to their relictual distributions, restricted habitat preferences and low densities. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:131F0587-F2EE-405F-BE5A-772F072D9915

Birds harbour a wide array of other taxa in their nests or in their plumage, which either have an ectoparasitic or commensal relationship with the host. We report on the discovery of a cheliferid pseudoscorpion found in the plumage and nests of the sociable weaver bird (Philetairus socius) in southern Africa. The nests of these communal birds are the largest of any bird, and may contain up to 500 individuals. The pseudoscorpion is likely to have a mutualistic relationship with the birds, most likely preying on other small invertebrates in the nests. Molecular data derived from two populations of the pseudoscorpion found divergence levels of 1.1% in cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1), and an analysis of CO1 and two rRNA genes (18S and 28S) found a close relationship with Chelifer and Parachelifer in the tribe Cheliferini, which is supported by the morphology of the male genitalia. The molecular analysis also suggests that Beierius may not belong to the Cheliferini. The pseudoscorpion found in association with the sociable weaver represents a new genus and species, Sociochelifer metoecus Harvey, sp. nov.