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New Zealand's Genetic Diversity
1.13 NEW ZEALAND’S GENETIC DIVERSITY NEW ZEALAND’S GENETIC DIVERSITY Dennis P. Gordon National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 14901, Kilbirnie, Wellington 6022, New Zealand ABSTRACT: The known genetic diversity represented by the New Zealand biota is reviewed and summarised, largely based on a recently published New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. All kingdoms and eukaryote phyla are covered, updated to refl ect the latest phylogenetic view of Eukaryota. The total known biota comprises a nominal 57 406 species (c. 48 640 described). Subtraction of the 4889 naturalised-alien species gives a biota of 52 517 native species. A minimum (the status of a number of the unnamed species is uncertain) of 27 380 (52%) of these species are endemic (cf. 26% for Fungi, 38% for all marine species, 46% for marine Animalia, 68% for all Animalia, 78% for vascular plants and 91% for terrestrial Animalia). In passing, examples are given both of the roles of the major taxa in providing ecosystem services and of the use of genetic resources in the New Zealand economy. Key words: Animalia, Chromista, freshwater, Fungi, genetic diversity, marine, New Zealand, Prokaryota, Protozoa, terrestrial. INTRODUCTION Article 10b of the CBD calls for signatories to ‘Adopt The original brief for this chapter was to review New Zealand’s measures relating to the use of biological resources [i.e. genetic genetic resources. The OECD defi nition of genetic resources resources] to avoid or minimize adverse impacts on biological is ‘genetic material of plants, animals or micro-organisms of diversity [e.g. genetic diversity]’ (my parentheses). -
Reptiles and Amphibians of Otago
Society for Research on Amphibians and Reptiles in New Zealand (SRARNZ) presents Reptiles and Amphibians of Otago Otago is a large (31,251 km2) and lightly populated region of the southern South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, stretching from the eastern coastline west to the Southern Alps. The earliest humans, of East Polynesian origin, arrived about 700 years ago. The largest settlement today is the coastal city of Dunedin (pop. >127,000), which grew from a Scottish influx in the 1800s. The Otago Regional Council administers the region, and tribal authority (mana whenua) rests with the iwi of Ngāi Tahu. Climates in the Otago region (roughly 45°– leiopelmatid frogs survive elsewhere in 47°S) range from changeable, cool- New Zealand. Two species of introduced temperate conditions near the coast to frogs are present, but there are no the near-continental climates (baking hot crocodilians, salamanders, terrestrial summers, freezing winters) of the interior. snakes or turtles. Marine turtles (mainly The region provides varied habitats for leatherback turtles, Dermochelys coriacea) herp species, including sand-dunes, visit the coastal waters of Otago but do grasslands, shrublands, wetlands, forests, not nest here. rock structures and scree slopes, some occupied to at least 1900 m above sea level. Today’s herpetofauna is dominated by lizards (solely geckos and skinks), including about 10 described species. A further 12 or more undescribed taxa are recognised Otago by tag names for conservation purposes, and we follow that approach here. All lizards in Otago are viviparous and long- lived, and remain vulnerable to ongoing habitat loss and predation by introduced mammals. -
93 REPTILES of the ALDERMEN ISLANDS By
93 REPTILES OF THE ALDERMEN ISLANDS by D.R. Towns* and B.W. Haywardt SUMMARY Six species of reptile are recorded from the Aldermen Islands after a visit to all of the islands in the group in May, 1972. They are: the geckos Hoplodactylus pacificus and H, duvauceli; the skinks Leiolopisma oliveri, L. smithi and L. suteri, and the tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus. No reptiles were found on Middle, Half and Hernia Islands but they were abundant on the three largest rat-free islands (Ruamahua-iti, Ruamahua-nui and Hongiora). INTRODUCTION One of us (B.W.H.) collected and noted reptiles seen on the islands during a visit in May, 1972, whilst the senior author (D.R.T.) identified specimens and commented on their occurrence and taxonomy. The party was based on Ruamahua-iti (Fig. I.) and consequently the most detailed collection and observation was made on this island. Two day-trips were made to Middle Island, and one day visits to each of Hongiora, Ruamahua-nui, Half and Hernia Islands were also made. PREVIOUS WORK In 1843, Rev. Wade was shipwrecked on Ruamahua-iti. He commented on the "iguana-like lizards" (no doubt tuataras), and since then there has only been one published report of reptiles on these islands. This was included in a survey by Sladden and Falla (1928), who recorded a skink species {"Lygosoma Smithii"), geckos ("Dactylocnemis" sp.) and tuataras (Sphenodon punctatus). Over the past twenty-five years a number of parties of Internal Affairs Dept. Officers have visited the group and recorded tuataras seen, though no specific study of the reptiles has been attempted. -
Extinction Risk in Lizards Life-Histor
For Consideration In: Biological Conservation Article Type: Research Paper Running Title: Extinction risk in lizards Life-history traits and extrinsic threats determine extinction risk in New Zealand lizards Reid Tingleya, Rod A. Hitchmoughb and David G. Chapplec,d* aARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia bDepartment of Conservation, PO Box 10-420, Wellington, New Zealand cAllan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand dSchool of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia E-mail addresses: [email protected] (D. G. Chapple), [email protected] (R. Tingley), [email protected] (R. A. Hitchmough) *Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 3 9905 3015 1 1 2 ABSTRACT 3 A species’ vulnerability to extinction depends on extrinsic threats such as habitat loss, as well 4 as its intrinsic ability to respond or adapt to such threats. Here we investigate the relative 5 roles of extrinsic threats and intrinsic biological traits in determining extinction risk in the 6 lizard fauna of New Zealand. Consistent with the results of previous studies on mammals and 7 birds, we find that habitat specialization, body size and geographic range size are the 8 strongest predictors of extinction risk. However, our analyses also reveal that lizards that 9 occupy areas with high levels of annual rainfall and are exposed to exotic predators and high 10 human population densities are at greater risk. Thus, while the intrinsic traits that render 11 species prone to extinction appear largely congruent across vertebrate taxa, our findings 12 illustrate that both extrinsic threats and intrinsic traits need to be considered in order to 13 accurately predict, and hence prevent, future population declines. -
Cretaceous Fossil Gecko Hand Reveals a Strikingly Modern Scansorial Morphology: Qualitative and Biometric Analysis of an Amber-Preserved Lizard Hand
Cretaceous Research 84 (2018) 120e133 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Cretaceous Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/CretRes Cretaceous fossil gecko hand reveals a strikingly modern scansorial morphology: Qualitative and biometric analysis of an amber-preserved lizard hand * Gabriela Fontanarrosa a, Juan D. Daza b, Virginia Abdala a, c, a Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucuman, Argentina b Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, 1900 Avenue I, Lee Drain Building Suite 300, Huntsville, TX 77341, USA c Catedra de Biología General, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tucuman, Argentina article info abstract Article history: Gekkota (geckos and pygopodids) is a clade thought to have originated in the Early Cretaceous and that Received 16 May 2017 today exhibits one of the most remarkable scansorial capabilities among lizards. Little information is Received in revised form available regarding the origin of scansoriality, which subsequently became widespread and diverse in 15 September 2017 terms of ecomorphology in this clade. An undescribed amber fossil (MCZ Re190835) from mid- Accepted in revised form 2 November 2017 Cretaceous outcrops of the north of Myanmar dated at 99 Ma, previously assigned to stem Gekkota, Available online 14 November 2017 preserves carpal, metacarpal and phalangeal bones, as well as supplementary climbing structures, such as adhesive pads and paraphalangeal elements. This fossil documents the presence of highly specialized Keywords: Squamata paleobiology adaptive structures. Here, we analyze in detail the manus of the putative stem Gekkota. We use Paraphalanges morphological comparisons in the context of extant squamates, to produce a detailed descriptive analysis Hand evolution and a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based on 32 skeletal variables of the manus. -
An Assessment of the Suitability of Captive-Bred Founders for Lizard Restoration Projects Using Duvaucel’S Geckos (Hoplodactylus Duvaucelii)
Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author. An assessment of the suitability of captive-bred founders for lizard restoration projects using Duvaucel’s geckos (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii). A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Biology Massey University, Albany, New Zealand. Vivienne Glenday 2016 Abstract Sourcing founders for species restoration projects can be problematic, especially when using rare or endangered animals. Harvesting from small natural populations could be detrimental to those populations. A possible solution is to use captive-bred founders as this would reduce harvesting pressure on natural source populations. In the summer of 2013, a combination of captive-bred and wild-sourced Duvaucel’s geckos (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii) were released on two islands in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. To assess the suitability of captive-bred founders for species restoration projects, short-term survival, condition, reproductive performance, dispersal and activity patterns, and habitat use were investigated using mark-recapture surveys and radio telemetry over a 12 month period following the release, and comparisons were made between captive-bred and wild- sourced geckos. Captive-bred geckos were encountered more often than wild geckos one year after the release, and had greater increases in body condition index. They also had better overall health, but more partial tail losses. Gravid females from both groups were encountered during the first post-release breeding season and at least 50% of juveniles were encountered alive during the first year. -
Assessment of Microbranding As an Alternative Marking Technique for Long-Term Identification of New Zealand Lizards
AvailableHitchmough on-line et al.: at: Microbranding http://www.newzealandecology.org/nzje/ as an alternative marking technique for New Zealand Lizards 151 Assessment of microbranding as an alternative marking technique for long-term identification of New Zealand lizards Rod Hitchmough1*, Keri Neilson1,5, Kara Goddard2, Mike Goold2, Brett Gartrell3, Stu Cockburn1 and Nicholas Ling4 1Research & Development Group, Department of Conservation, PO Box 10 420, Wellington 6143, New Zealand 2Hamilton Zoo, Hamilton City Council, Private Bag 3010, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand 3New Zealand Wildlife Health Centre, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University Manawatu, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand 4Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand 5Present address: Lake Management Officer, River & Catchment Services, Environment Waikato Regional Council, PO Box 4010, Hamilton East 2032, New Zealand * Author for correspondence (Email: [email protected]) Published on-line: 1 May 2012 Abstract: ‘Microbranding’, a system for individually identifying reptiles and amphibians based on a numbered code of spot brands applied to the body and limbs, was tested on New Zealand skinks and geckos. Common geckos (Woodworthia maculata) and copper skinks (Oligosoma aeneum) were used as test animals. Brands applied in autumn took 3 months or more to heal. There was no evidence of brand-related mortality or increased parasite loads in branded animals. However, after healing the brands faded very rapidly in the skinks to become totally unreadable in all surviving branded skinks after 2.5 years and not accurately readable in most geckos after 3 years. We therefore consider the technique unsuitable as a standard marking procedure for New Zealand lizards. -
DOCDM-1023668 Herpetofauna: Photo-Identification V1.0 2
Herpetofauna: photo-identification Version 1.0 This specification was prepared by Marieke Lettink in 2012. Contents Synopsis .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Assumptions .................................................................................................................................... 5 Advantages ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Disadvantages ................................................................................................................................. 6 Suitability for inventory ..................................................................................................................... 6 Suitability for monitoring ................................................................................................................... 6 Skills ................................................................................................................................................ 7 Resources ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Minimum attributes .......................................................................................................................... 7 Data storage ................................................................................................................................... -
Chirpingsthe E-Magazine of the Wellington Branch of Forest & Bird Edition 10: May 2019
CHIRPINGSThe e-magazine of the Wellington Branch of Forest & Bird Edition 10: May 2019 By Mike Britton, Chair, Wellington Branch Branch I work as a fundraiser, and one of the truisms of that profession, news and there are many, is that people will only give when they feel they can make a difference. So, while they won’t necessarily donate to help 200 million starving children, they will give to help one little girl with an empty plate. For those of you who have been attending the fantastic ‘Wild Wednesday’ talks (see ‘Events’ later in this issue) it really does seem like we face the same catastrophes as millions of starving children, but in environmental terms it is plastics destroying the ocean, polluted waterways at home and now a million species on their way to extinction. There is a strong temptation to curl up in the foetal position and let it all wash over! It is too big a problem for me! But every individual can make a difference. If we focus on some key things that everyone can do. Treat each piece of plastic as toxic. Reduce our carbon emissions, particularly from vehicle fuel and energy use. Help restore or protect some habitat. Have a rat trap in your back yard. And as a member of Forest & Bird, combine to make your voice heard both in New Zealand and through BirdLife International, across the globe. Just as giving to one little girl to help save millions, by Princess Bay – worth preserving? looking after one little bird at a time, every one of us can make a difference. -
Skeletal Variation in Extant Species Enables Systematic Identification of New Zealand's Large, Subfossil Diplodactylids
Scarsbrook et al. BMC Ecol Evo (2021) 21:67 BMC Ecology and Evolution https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-021-01808-7 RESEARCH Open Access Skeletal variation in extant species enables systematic identifcation of New Zealand’s large, subfossil diplodactylids Lachie Scarsbrook1*, Emma Sherratt2, Rodney A. Hitchmough3 and Nicolas J. Rawlence1 Abstract New Zealand’s diplodactylid geckos exhibit high species-level diversity, largely independent of discernible osteologi- cal changes. Consequently, systematic afnities of isolated skeletal elements (fossils) are primarily determined by comparisons of size, particularly in the identifcation of Hoplodactylus duvaucelii, New Zealand’s largest extant gecko species. Here, three-dimensional geometric morphometrics of maxillae (a common fossilized element) was used to determine whether consistent shape and size diferences exist between genera, and if cryptic extinctions have occurred in subfossil ‘Hoplodactylus cf. duvaucelii’. Sampling included 13 diplodactylid species from fve genera, and 11 Holocene subfossil ‘H. cf. duvaucelii’ individuals. We found phylogenetic history was the most important predictor of maxilla morphology among extant diplodactylid genera. Size comparisons could only diferentiate Hoplodactylus from other genera, with the remaining genera exhibiting variable degrees of overlap. Six subfossils were positively identifed as H. duvaucelii, confrming their proposed Holocene distribution throughout New Zealand. Conversely, fve subfossils showed no clear afnities with any modern diplodactylid genera, implying either increased morphological diversity in mainland ‘H. cf. duvaucelii’ or the presence of at least one extinct, large, broad-toed diplodactylid species. Keywords: Diplodactylidae, Ecomorphology, Geometric morphometrics, Hoplodactylus duvaucelii, Taxonomy Background (e.g. coloration and scalation), with interspecifc skeletal New Zealand’s lizard fauna is characteristic of isolated variation rarely analysed. -
Varanus Panoptes (Yellow-Spotted Monitor) Toxic Prey Avoidance J
Daemen College Daemen Digital Commons Faculty Articles Faculty Scholarship 2015 Varanus Panoptes (Yellow-Spotted Monitor) Toxic Prey Avoidance J. Sean Doody Hugh James Christopher Walmsley David Rhind Matt dE gar See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.daemen.edu/faculty_scholar Part of the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Doody, J., James, H., Walmsley, C., Rhind, D., Edgar, M., Fidel, M., . McHenry, Colin. (2015). Varanus Panoptes (Yellow-Spotted Monitor) Toxic Prey Avoidance. Herpetological Review, 46(1), 96-97. This paper is posted at Daemen Digital Commons. https://digitalcommons.daemen.edu/faculty_scholar/65 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Authors J. Sean Doody, Hugh James, Christopher Walmsley, David Rhind, Matt dE gar, Maik Fidel, Domenic D'Amore, Simon Clulow, and Colin McHenry This article is available at Daemen Digital Commons: https://digitalcommons.daemen.edu/faculty_scholar/65 96 NATURAL HISTORY NOTES in the Yellow-spotted Monitor, Varanus panoptes, in northern amounts of dung in the east Kimberley are feral donkeys, horses, Australia. cattle, and pigs. Dung foraging in monitors may be a relic; The Yellow-spotted Monitor is a large lizard (up to 1.5 m in historically, prominent megafauna would have provided an total length) inhabiting riparian areas and floodplains in tropical abundance of dung pats and beetles for ancestral species of large Australia (Cogger 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. monitors. Auffenberg (1994, op. cit.) estimated that the habit Reed New Holland, Sydney. 808 pp.). It is a generalist carnivore of gleaning dung beetles from Bovine pats by Asian monitors consuming mammals, frogs, reptiles, fish, invertebrates, extended back into the Pliocene, based on fossil evidence from and the eggs of reptiles and birds (Christian 2004. -
Zootaxa, Reptilia, Pygopodidae, Hoplodactylus
Zootaxa 792: 1–11 (2004) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ ZOOTAXA 792 Copyright © 2004 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) A new species of Hoplodactylus (Reptilia: Pygopodidae) from the Takitimu Mountains, South Island, New Zealand TONY R. JEWELL1 & RICHARD A. B. LESCHEN2* 1 216 Ripponvale Road, R.D., Cromwell, New Zealand 2 New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Private Bag 92170, Auckland, New Zealand, [email protected] * Address correspondence to R. Leschen Abstract A gecko from alpine scree in the Takitimu Mountains, South Island, New Zealand, is described as Hoplodactylus cryptozoicus n. sp. Hoplodactylus cryptozoicus is characterized by an orange mouth lining, a short tail, minute body scales, and a distinctive colour pattern which includes bright orange patches. It may be closely related to H. nebulosus (McCann) based on the sharing of grey pigment on the tongue. Hoplodactylus cryptozoicus is known from only a single locality and is one of the few species of Hoplodactylus in New Zealand that inhabits rocks in the alpine zone. Key words: Reptilia; taxonomy; endemism; conservation Introduction The New Zealand gecko fauna presently comprises 18 validly named species placed into two endemic genera of the Diplodactylinae, Hoplodactylus Fitzinger 1843 and Naultinus Gray 1842. Both genera occur throughout the country and remain poorly studied with sev- eral species needing to be described. Most species, in fact, are threatened and/or of con- servation importance (Hitchmough 2002). Even though there are only a handful of species, taxonomic revisions are lacking with the last monograph that of McCann (1955). Since that time five species were described in the 1980’s (Robb 1980; Thomas 1981; Whi- taker 1985), including the mysterious Hoplodactylus delcourti Bauer and Russell, the larg- est species of gecko in the world and known from a single specimen (Bauer and Russell 1986, 1987; Russell and Bauer 1986).