Checklist of the Frogs and Reptiles of Westem Australia
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DOI: 10.18195/issn.0313-122x.63.2001.051-074 Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement No. 63: 51-74 (2001). Checklist of the frogs and reptiles of Westem Australia ~.P. Aplin and L.A. Smith Western Australian Museum, Francis Street, Perth, Western Australia 6000, Australia INTRODUCTION geographic entities maintained byextrinsic factors that A formal checklist of the frogs and reptiles of effectively deny reproductive interaction." In practical Western Australia has not been published terms, this definition leads us to recognise subspecies previously, although similar functions have been for allopatric populations that are essentially alike in served by the various generations of handbooks basic ethology and reproductive biology, but are produced originally by Glauert (1950, 1957, 1961, diagnosably distinct in features that are likely to have 1967) for lizards and snakes and more recently by been subject to environmentally determined patterns Storr, Smith and Johnstone (1981, 1983, 1986, 1990, of selection and/or random drift. Such differences 1999) for these groups and by Tyler, Smith and most often involve features such as size and body Johnstone (1984, 1994, 2000) for frogs. proportions, ground colour or minor details of The general philosophy of this checklist, along patteming and/or scalation. Such taxa are more likely with the companion checklists of mammals, birds to be treated as full species where the differences and fishes, has been discussed in a brief between them involve aspects of the 'specific mate introductory essay (Aplin et al., 2001). Before recognition system' (sensu Paterson, 1985) or where presenting this particular checklist, however, it is there has been divergence in features that might imply necessary to address a number of additional points contrasting lifestyles. of historic and taxonomic interest. In the relatively few cases where hybrid For any reader familiar with the taxonomic usage interaction has been demonstrated between closely- employed in the Western Australian Museum's related taxa of frogs and reptiles, the frequency and current handbook series, published in first editions outcome of hybridization is also taken into account between 1981 and 1990, the content of the present in deciding the taxonomic rank of participating checklist will represent a radical departure. In part populations. As a general rule of thumb, occasional this reflects the significant advances in phylogenetic or spatially-restricted hybridization with limited knowledge gained for several groups over the last two introgression generally does not challenge the decades. However, it also represents a reconciliation identity of separate species, while frequent, of the often-eontrasting taxonomies employed by two widespread hybridization and effective of Australia's most influential herpetologists, Glen introgression is likely to eliminate genetic and Storr, Curator of Birds and Reptiles at the Western morphological distinction between subspecies Australian Museum 1962-1986, and Hal Cogger, brought into secondary contact in relatively few Curator of Reptiles and later, Deputy Director of the generations. Where hybridization occurs at Australian Museum, 1963-1995. moderate to high frequency along a zone of contact Another factor in determining the content of this or narrow overlap, a stable or gradually shifting listing has been the decision by the International 'tension zone' (sensu Barton and Charlesworth, Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1984) may form. These are sometimes aligned with (Anonymous, 1991) rejecting suppression of the two an environmental gradient of some kind, but more self-published works by Wells and Wellington often they owe their origin and stability to partial (1984, 1985), in which many hundreds of taxonomic chromosomal incompatibility. In such cases, the actions were taken in relation to Australian frogs individual taxa are generally treated as subspecies and reptiles. This decision has confirmed the or as chromosomal 'races', depending on the degree availability of many names, some of which predate of morphological and ecological distinctiveness. names proposed for valid taxa in subsequent Wherever possible, we have attempted to taxonomic reviews. eliminate or at least highlight any prior subspecific In general, we have employed species and nomenclature that was created solely to label subspecies ranks in accordance with the principles geographical isolates in the absence of outlined in the introductory essay. To recapitulate morphological or other differentiation, or to briefly, "species are essentially biological entities designate subdivisions or points along extended maintained by intrinsic attributes promoting clines. Both practices were standard practice during reproductive isolation, while subspecies are essentially the earlier years of vertebrate systematics in 52 K.P. Aplin, L.A. Smith Australia, as elsewhere in the world (Wilson and level in order to convey asense of phylogenetic Brown, 1953), but are no longer regarded as structure, but only where the integrity of aparticular acceptable taxonomic actions. clade is well-supported by several lines of evidence. Otherwise the list is presented in alphabetical order Format and scope and without synonyms or summaries of prior The checklist covers all taxa of frogs and reptiles combinations. An extended series of footnotes are recorded in Western Australia, including several presented in justification of certain decisions and as a that have become established since European means of highlighting major areas of taxonomic or settlement. The naturalised exotics are clearly phylogenetic uncertainty. identified as such in the list. Taxa that are recorded Bibliographic details of type descriptions of most as occasional accidental introductions, either from species can be obtained from Cogger et al. (1983); eastern Australia (e.g., naturalised Cane Toads, Bufo for ease of reference, we provide these details for marinus) or from overseas (e.g., Bufo melanostictus), taxa described subsequent to their work. are not listed. We thank Dr Glen Shea for his useful comments The list includes taxonomic ranks above the genus on an earlier version of this work. REFERENCES Anonymous (1991). Three works by Richard W. 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