PART III MAMMALS by N. L. McKENZIEI, W. K. YOUNGSONI, A. A. BURBIDGEI and A. CHAPMAN'.

INTRODUCTION Gibson Desert Nature Reserve-Hairs identified in dingo scats. This paper is based on information collectedduring Rangeswith mulga (l.l); breakawaysand stony hills visits to four areas in arid Western (see with mulga(3.5). McKenzie, this publication). All mammals collected have been lodged in the WesternAustralian Museum with accessionnumbers: M14384-14425(November Petrogale sp. 1975collection), M14618 14676(March 1976collection). Lake DisappointmentArea-Old scats in the Durba Techniquesof mammal survev were similar to those Hills. listed in Burbidgeet al. (1976)'althonghonly four types of trap were used: Large Elliott, Medium Elliott, Break-back and Dug Pit. Approximately 800 trap- FAMILY DASYURIDAE nights were effectedin each of the four areasvisited. Antechinus (Spencer) Within each area, trapping effort was approximately macdonnellensis Red-earerlAnte- chinus equally divided between the following habitats (see Burbidgeand McKenzie,this publication):l.l-1.6, Gibson Desert Nature Reserve 2 (1J, 1!); cranial 2.1.-2.6,3.13.10 (except 3.3 and3.7),4.14.7. fragmentsin owl pellets. (Todd Range;25"45'5, Bats were collectedby meansof a floodlighting tech- 12612'E-l?) nique (Youngson and McKenzie 1977), mist nets, Breakawayswith mulga (4.5). foraging in caves,shooting at dusk, and spotlight One female(M146701' 24 March 1976)had much larger shootingafter dark. uterinehorns than the other (M14669i 22 March 1976) In the annotatedspecies list, data are presentedin the and comparatively enlarged teats. Additional com- following order: paralive material needsto be examined. 1. Number of male and femalespecimens collected at Caughtby hand. Trapped. each site. Sitesoutside the proposed/ex isti ng re- servesare given in brackets. The Todd Range specimencame from similar habitat. 2. Description of habitats in which the specieswas collected. Thesehave been indexed into the area Ningauiridei Archer Ride'sNingaui (Colour Plate) descriptions (Burbidge and McKenzie, this pub- CarnarvonRange Area-l9. lication). Gibson DesertNature Reserve-19. 3. Female breeding information. For rodents and (12kmNNW of Mount Beadell;25'28'5,125'13'E-16.) bats this is summarizedin Table L Sandplainswith spinifex(1.4); plains and slopeswith 4. Method of capture. mulgaand spinifex(4. 8). 5. Notes on behaviour and ecolosv. The specimenfrom the Gibson Desert Nature Reserve (M14674;March 1976)is a sub-adultfemale. Neither the pouch nor the teats of the adult female from the ANNOTATED SPECIESLIST CarnarvonRange (M14673; 29 March 1976)are visibly FAMILY MACROPODIDAE developedand its uterinehorns are not visibly enlarged. Specimensof pregnant N. ridei zre not availablefor Megaleia ruy'a(Desmarest) RerI Kangaroo comparrson. CarnarvonRange Area-Reported by Agriculture Pro- Caughtby handin daytime;burnt from spinifextussocks tection Board Staf. (One seen15 km south of the at night. proposedreserve; 25'28'S, 120'37'E). The Yeo Lake Area-Many seen;16 (7J, Mt Beadell male was collectedin a low open- 9Q)recorded during bummockgrassland one 18 km daytimetansect. One craniumcollected. of spinifexwith sparseshrubl of Cork-wood (Eakea lorea) and Gidgee (Acaciapruino- Saltbush and bluebush plains (3.2); samphire flats carpa)on red sandplainwith a superficialcover of fine (3.3); sandplainwith spinifex(3.9); sanddunes with gravel (this country was similar to 4.1). The "Cunbarrel speci- shrubs(3. l0). men wasfirst seencrossing the Highway" Individuals,pairs and groups ol five or six. at 1230hrs on 23 March 1976. Macrcpusrobustus Gould Euro CarnarvonRange Area-Two seen,many scatsin range. FAMILY MURIDAE Yeo Lake Area-One seen at Stonv Point. scats in Leporillus sp. breakaways. Remainsof old sticknestswere found in a breakawav near Knob (4.5) 1 Charlies in the Gibson DesertNaturl WesterdAustalian Wildlife ResearchCentre- P.O. Box 51. Wan- Reserve.in cavesin the CarnarvonRange (1.2), neroo,W.A.6065. Area 2 Department of l,Iammals, Westem Austmlian Museum, Ftancis and near Point Sundayand Stony Point in the Yeo St., Perth, W.A, 6000, LakeArea (3.5). 16 A. M. Douglas (pers. comm.) identifled Leporillus Tulpesvulpes (Linnaeus) EuropeanFox apicalis bone matedal from similar concretions in Lake Disappointment Area Tracks thought to be WesternAustralia. thoseof the EurooeanFox. Yeo Lake Area-Tracks thought to be those of the Notomys alexis Thomas Spinifex Hopping-Mouse EurooeanFox. GibsonDesert Nature Reserve-oneseen. CarnarvonRange Area-5 (19, 4t). Lake DisappointmentArea-2 (1j, 1Q). Sandplainswith spinifex (3.9); sandplainswith gravel Yeo Lake Area-1?. and spinilex (4. 1); sand-duneswith shrubs(2.5). Gibson DesertNature Reserve-lQ. Sandplainswith spinifex(1 .4); sanddunes with shrubs FAMILY CAMELIDAE (1..6, 2.s, 2.10,4.2). Camelusdromedan'asLinnaeus Camel Trapped. Caught by hand while spotlighting. CarnarvonRange Area-Tracks. Lake DisaooointmentArea-Tracks. Pseudomyshermannsburgansis (Waite) Sandy Mouse Yeo Lake Area-Nine seen. CarnarvonRange Area--4 (3J, 1t). Samphire flats (3.3); sandplainswith spinifex (1.4, Lake DisappointmentArea-l (damaged). 2.6). Yeo Lake Area-3 (2d, 19). Seenin groupsof 4 and 5 individuals. Gibson DesertNature Reserve-5 (lil, 4?). Samphireflats (3.6); plains and slopeswith mulga and FAMILY TACHYGLOSSIDAE (1.4, spinifex (1.5); sandplainswith spinifex 3.8); Tachyglossusaculeatas(Shaw) Echidna sandplainswith gravel and spinifex (4.1); sand dunes with shrubs(1.6, 2. 5, 4.2). CarnarvonRange-Characteristic scats. Yeo Lake Area-Characteristic scats and an Echidna Trapped. quill. Gibson Desert Nature Reserve-Characteristic scats. Mus musculusLrnnaeus House Mouse Rangeswith mulga (1.1); stony hills and breakaways CarnarvonRange Area-ld. with mulga(3 .5, 4.4, 4.5), Yeo Lake Area-3$. Butler (1971)records "fresh Echidna trails" from the Gibson Desert Nature Reserye-Cranial fragmentsin Durba Hills (Lake Disappointment Area, 2. l) in owl pellets. August1971. Saltbushand bluebushplains (3.4); mulga woodlands (3.1); sandplainswith spinifex (3.9); ranges with FAMILY EMBALLONURIDAE mulga(1. 1). Taphozousgeorgianw Thomas Common Sheath-tailerl Trapped. Bat Lake DisappointmentArea-l2 (4J, 8!). GibsonDeseri Nature Reserve-2?. FAMILY LEPORIDAE (Todd Range;25"45'5, 126"12'8 19.) Oryctolagus cuniculus(Linnaers) Euopean Rabbit Rangesand breakawayswith mulga (2.2, 4.4, 4.5); watercourseswith river gums(2.4). Yeo Lake Area-Characteristicwarrens and moundsof rabbit scat. Collectedby hand in caves,shot at night in floodlights (1930-2100hrs). Samphire flats (3.3); sandplainswith spinifex (3.8). A single female was taken in a mist net set acrossa scat Rabbit fur was identified from a dingo collected at cave entranceon the mesaformface of the Todd Ranse the Todd Range. in a similarsituation to habitat4.5.

FAMILY CANIDAE Canisfamiliaris dingo Meyer Dingo CarnarvonRange Area-Tracks. Yeo Lake Area-Scats. Gibson Desert Nature Reserue-One seen,scats and tracksrecorded. Mulga woodlands(3. l); sandplainswith spinifex(l .4); sandplainswith gravel and spinifex (4.I); sand dunes with shrubs(4.2); breakawayswith mulga (4.5). Scats from Yeo Lakes contained Megaleia rufa bone and hair material; scatsfrom the GibsonDesert Nature Reserve (Young Range) contained Macropus robustus hair material and thosefrom the Todd Range(25"45'5, 126'12'E)contained Rabbit and Mauopus robustushair material. Fiture l-Taphozousflaviyentris from the Durba Hills. t7 Taphozousflavhentris Petels Yellow-bellied Sheath- DISCUSSION tailedBat (Figure 1) CarnarvonRange Area-1t. The distribulions of mammals in the deserts of Western Lake DisappointmentArea-4 (3d, 19). Australia (as defined by Beard 1969) are poorly docu- (Karri Karri Pool; 25"29'S,120"37,E-ld.) mented. Early specimens(1931 and before) were mostly collected along the only two Watercourseswith river gams(1 .2, 2.4). accessroutes available- the Canning Stock Route and the road between Layerton Shot at night in floodlights(1915 hrs-2205 hrs). and Warburton-or from aboriginal missions and The Karri Karri Pool specimenwas collectedafter dark pastoral stations situated around the frinses of the on 19 November 1975. It was flying along- a water- de(efls. These specimensoften have impre-cirecollec- coursefringed with Eucalyptusmicrothbca. tion localities and no habitat data. By the time the (1958) and Gary FAMILY MOLOSSIDAE Highway (1963) had penetrated the Gibson Deseft and the Rawlinna-Warburton Road (1961) had crossed the Tadari^dqaustralis (Gray) White-stripedBat Creat Desert.thereby improring access.many CarnarvonRange Area lt. mammals indigenous to these deserts had apparently Watercourseswith river gums(1.2). disappeared. Shot at night in floodlights(2150 hrg. Modern mammal records from these areas are still restricted to the main accessroutes and, with the ex- Tadarida sp. ception of a few rodent and bat species,are still relatively few. Information published here and in a previous CatnarvonRange (4d, Area-l4 109). publication in this series (Burbidge et Lake DisappointmentArea-l al. 19'76)has rm- ?. proved knowledge of the habitats and distributions of Watercourseswith river gtms (1.2, 2.4). many desefi mammals and, in addition, increased the Shot in floodlightsbetween 1945 hrs and 2100hrs. number of mammal species known to live in these qeserts. A total of sixteen extant speciesof native mammal were FAMILY VESPERTILIONI DAE recorded during the November 1975 and March 1976 surveys (see Table 2). Field observations and trapping Nyctophilusgeofroyi Leach LesserLong-eared Bat "plague" success indicate that the of rodent species CarnarvonRange Area-lJ. recorded in the Great Victoria Desert and the southern Watercourseswith river gums(l .2) Gibson Desert in March 1975 (Burbidge et al. 1976) Shotin floodlightsat 1930hrs. did not exist at the areas reported on here during Nov- ember 1975and March 1976. Eptesicuspumilis (Gray) Little BrownBat Megaleia rufa, Ningaui ridei and Antechinus macdonnell- CarnarvonRange Area--4 (1i1,3?). ensl,r(as distinct from A. bilarni) are largely restricted Lake DisappointmentArea-3?. to the arid zone. Pseudomys hermannsburgensis and Yeo Lake Area-lJ. Notomys alexis are also desert species although their Gibson Desert Nature Reserve 4 (3d, 1?). distributions extend into peripheral areas of the South (Todd Range; 25"45'5,126"12'E 6 (5d, 1?).) West Land Division of (W.A.M. Ranges,breakaways and stonyhills wirh mulga(1.1. M4397,Kalbarri National Park, 1972;W.A.M. M10597, 2.2-3.5,4.5): warercourses uirh rirer gums (1.2, 2.4): 50 km north of Beacon, 1973). The other specieshave Caughtby hand and mist nettedin caves;shot at dusk wider distributions in W.A.: Taphozousgeorgianus and and in floodlightsat night (1940-2020hrs). Taphozousfatit'entris are known from both the arid zone and northern W.A., and Nycticeius grq), (W.A.M. The Todd Rangespecimens were mist nettedafter dark in the mouth of a cave. The habitatof the Todd Range M15184; 30'51'S, ll6'22'E: 1971) and Macropus specimenswas similar to 4.5. robustus are also known from the South-West Land Divrslon. Tadarida au;tralis ar'd N)'ctophilus geofrq'i Threewere seen huddled together in a smailfissure on are known from both the arid zone and southern W.A. the wall of a screecave in the Durba Hills. Theywere ca. 4 m from the entrance. Canis familiar is, Tachyglossus aculeatus, Eptesicus pumil is and Chalinolobusgouldii have been recorded throughout the State. Chalinolobusgouldii (Gray) Goulil,s Wattled Bat CarnarvonRange Area-lo (9d, 1?). Ningaui ridei is apparently widespread in these deserts although it has been recorded only in spinifex form- Watercourses gums with river (1.2). ations on sandplains and sand dunes. The four pre- Shot in floodlights(1825-2200 hrs). vious specimenswere all collected in the Great Victoria Desert (Archer 1975; Burbidge et al. 1976) althoLrgh Nycticeiusgreyi (Gould) Little Broad-nosedBat Burbidge ef a/. found skeletal fragments in owl pellet Lake DisappointmentArea-2 (lj, 1 damaged). material from the Gibson Desert. Our records show that N. ridei is extant in the Gibson Watercourseswith river gums (2.4). Desert and also occurs in the Little Sandy Desert. A partial skeleton Shot in floodlights(1935-2000 hrs). of a.Ningaui (W.A.M. Ml3857) was found in the Great

18 Plate l.- Tall open-shrubland of ,4.d.]id a/,erla on carnarvon Range (l.l); low open-woodlandof Eucalyplus setosa (1 3) in foreground.

Plate 2.- Low open-woodlandof Eucal,,ptts sp. aver Acacia sp. and Thryp tame ne maisonnewii on sanddunes (1.6). Carnarvon Range in background

Piate 3.- Low open-woodland;many areas of bare sandstone on lop of the Durba Hills (2.1) Plate 4.- Low open-woodlandof mulga and Eucalyplus oleosa over a tussockgrassland of E/aglortrr eiopoda (1.1).Yeo Lake Area.

PIat€ 5.- Durba Sp.ings.tucdllptrd camal&rlens is ; saldstoneclifl (2.4).

Plate 6.- Ride'sNingaui fffrrgdri rudeiJ Photo by A.G. wells. Sandy Desert in 1975 Q1"42'5, 12212'E; Patelson recordfrom the GreatSandy Desed (W.A.M. M1547-50; Ranges)but it is not knownwhether the specimenbelongs 2233'5, 123'52'E:1930)suggest that this speciesmay Io N. ridei or to the Pilbara speciesly'. timealeli. also be found in sand dune country within the Gibson Desert Nature Reserve,Yeo Lake Area and the pro- Tadarida sp. has only recently been recognisedfrom posedreserves of the Little SandyDesert. collections made in Western Australia. Our records from the Lake Disappointment and the Carnarvon Sminthopsislongicaudate was recordedin the proposed RangeAreas (Little SandyDesert) are the first from the Baker Lake Nature Reservein 1975 (Burbidge and inland deserts of W.A. Other Western Australian McKenzie1976). The speciesmay occurelsewherein the collectionshave come from the Pilbara (W.A. Museum GibsonDesert because habitats similar to thoserecorded collection). at the collection site are widespreadin th€ region. Burbidgee/ al. (1976)report collectionsof Sminthopsis The Tadaridasp. from the CarnarvonRange and Lake murinaooldea from sanddune and sandplaincountry in DisappointmentArea were comparedwith descriptions the southernand centralGreat Yictoria Desertand on a of Indo-Australianta-\a of the sub-genusMormopterus watercoursein the southernedge of the Gibson Desert. includedin Hill (1961)and Felten (1964). In external Theserecords, with a further specimenfrom the western and cranial appearancethe specimensdiffer from any end of the Great Victoria Desert (W.A.M. M5782: of the describedspecies. Further work on the taxon- 28'03'5, L2I'57'E; 1963) suggestthe presenceof this omic status of theseand other collectionsof Western speciesin countryrepresented in the Yeo Lake Area and Australian Mormopterw is being undertaken. the Gibson Desert Nature Reserve. Taphozousfaviventr's was first recordedin the deserts Pesudomysdesertor is known in W.A. from the Great of WesternAustralia by W. H. Butler who collecteda Sandy Desert (W.A.M. M1448; 20'00'5, 126"30'E;ca specimenin the Durba Hills (Lake Disappointment 1930)and lrom the south edgeof the Gibson Desertin Area) in August 1971 (Butler l97l). Our collections the Baker Lake Area (Burbidge et al. 1976). Habrtats from the Lake Disappointment (Durba Hills) and listed in Burbidgeet al. (ibid), Parker (1973)and watts Carnarvon Range Areas and from Karri Karri Pool (1972) suggestthat this speciesoccurs in the Gibson indicate that the speciesis widespreadin the Little Desert Nature Reserveand the other proposalswhich Sandy Desert and also occursin the CarnegieSalienl incorporatesandplain and sand dune/spinifexcountry. as definedby Beard(1969); specimens from the Pilbara (W.A.M. M6622; 24'00'5, 117"50'E;1965) and the A number of species, known to have inhabited these Northern Tedtory (Parker1973) suggest an evenwider desertsin the past (ca 1930) have not been subsequently arid zonedistribution. reconfed there. For example Lagorchesteshirsutus vtzs recordedin the Little Sandy Desert near Lake Disap- Scatsof a Rock-Wallabywere collectedin the Durba pointmenrin 1931(w.A.M. M1471,M1472;23'30'5, Hills (Lake DisappointmentArea) during our visjt and 122'45'E). It is probablethat the speciesoccurred in W. H. Butler reported sightinga Rock-Wallabyin the similar sorts of country found within the Lake Dis- sameplace in 1971. The taxonomyof Petrogaleis sill appointmentArea. Finlayson (1961) statesthat this uncertain. Ride (1970)recognises two speciesfrom the specieshad its "headquarters. . . in the great spinifex arid zone of Western Australia. Relevant soecimens desertsto the west of the area here considered ." arePetrcgale penicillata (\l.A.M. M3532,t959aW.A.M. vz the Gibson, Great Victoria, Great Sandyand Little M4988, 1961)from the Warburton Regionand a speci- "mode "Petrcgale SandyDeserts. He statesthat the of occurrence men labelled rothschild" (W.A.M. M3884; of this hare wallaby is fluctuating and discontinuous 23"22'5,120"47'E) which wasrecorded from the western and with isolated colonies widely sundered but edgeof the Little SandyDesert in 1959. A return visit there seemsno doubt that a major collapsein its num- is requiredto determinewhich of thesespecies, if either, bers . . . has occurredin the last 25 years". A further is presentin the Durba Hills. specimenwas recorded near Warburton in 1931(W.A.M. MI572; 2609'5, 126"35'E). The speciesstill occursin Other mammal species are known from these desefts. the Tanami Desert of the (Parker Many of thesespecies are likely to (or occur to have 1973). occurred) within areas proposed as reservesbecause theseareas were delineatedso that the resultinssvstem Isoodon auratus was recorded in the Gibson Desert of desertreserres would include the rangeof giol,igical (W.A.M. MI574; 26'15'5, 126"30'E; 1931)in country formations, soil surfacesand vegetationalformations very similar to that found in the Gibson DesertNature typical of eachdesert. Reserve. Perameleseremeanq was collectedat Gahnda Rockhole in the Gibson Desert in 1931 (W.A.M. Several species have been recorded recently in these M1575; 26'36'5, 1.25"52'E)and in the Great Sandy deserts, Burbidge and Fuller (in press) discussevi- Desert in 1944(W.A.M. M2629; 2213',5, 125"03',E)in dence that Onychogalealunata occtrrcd recently in the similar country to that found in the Gibson Desert GibsonDesert. Sminthops^crassicaudatq vtas recorded Nature Reserveand the Lake DisaooointmentArea in the proposed Baker Lake Nature Reservein the respectivefy.Extant populations ol Lbporillushate not Gibson Desert as recently as 1967(W.A.M. M10043; been recorded in Western Australia. However, the 2647'5, 125"57'E). Recent specimensof Sminthopsis wide occurrence and relatively good condition of froggotti arc known from t}Ie Little Sandy Desert remnant"stick-nests" in the desertsof WesternAustralia (W.A.M. M8405; 2256'5, lzl"ll'E; 1971)and Great suggesta similar pattern of disappearanceto that des- Victoria Desert (W.A.M. M8862; 27"58'5, 123'45'El' cribed by Frith (1973,p.306) for other parts of Central 1967),the latter record being only 20 km west of the Australia. Yeo Lake Area. A recent specimenof Sminthopsis hirtipes from Djindirana Claypan (W.A.M. M8083; Four species,known from thesedeserts in the past, haye 24'22'5, 125"08'E; 1968)in the cibson Desert along been recorded in peripheral areas more recently and are with recordsof this soeciesfrom reservesin the Great more likely to be extant in the desertsthan the species Victoria Desert (Burbidge et al. 1976)and an older just mentioneil. There are recent records of Maootis

L9 Iagotis from the Warburton region (W.A.M. M7036; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2608'5, 126'35'E;1965). The authorsrecently received a live specimencollected in March 1977 from near We are indebtedto all membersof the exoeditionfor Warburtbn Mission; it is at presenton display in the their assistancein the collectionof mahmals. Dr Perth Zoological Gardens. Specimensare also known D. J. Kitchener of the W.A. Museum determinedthe from the GreatSandy Desert (W.A.M. M1491;22'31'S, Ningaui, provided advice on the reproductive condition 124'24'E: 1930) and from the western edge of the of Tapltozousgeorgianus and examinedthe manuscdpt, Great Victoria Desert (W.A.M. Ml0l0; 26'21'S, He wasalso kind enoughto allow us accessto the records 119"49'Et 1928). A specimen of Lagorchestescon- of the W.A. Museum mammal collection, much of spicillatuswas presentedto the W.A. Museum in 1959 which has recently been reviewedby Mr A. Baynes. fiom the western edge of the Little Sandy Desert Dr M. Archer identifiedthe Antechinusmaterial in owl (W.A.M. M3497; 23"55'5, 12007'E) but there is no pellets. recentevidence to suggestits continuedpresence further We also wish to thank Dr S. J. J. F. Davies of the east in W.A. Finlayson (1961)states tlat this species ". C.S.I.R.O.Division of Wildlife Researchfor comment- had . . essentially. . . an east-westrange to approx. ing on the manuscript. 245. la|. and probably lormerly occupiedall the area north of that Darallel." Dasvcercusuisticauda was last recordedin ihe cibson (W.A.M. M1576; 26"35'5, REFERENCES 12656'E) and Great Sandy (W.A.M. Mls2lt 22'54'5, Archer, M. (1915), "Ninga i, a New Genus of Tiny Das''urids 123"30'E)Deserts in 1930-31. (Marsupialia) and Two New Species,M timealqi a'jd N. ridei Although a specimen from Arid WestemAnsl'Ialia". Mem, Mus.17,237-249. "The Qld. camefrom the Warburton Regionin 1967/68(W.A.M. Beard,J. S. (1969). natural regionsolthe desertsof Westem M7743; 2606'5, 126"40'E)its statusin the desertsof Australia". J. EcoL 57. 617-:71,1. WesternAustralia to-day is unknown. Burbidge, A. A. and Fuller, P. J. (in press). "Mammals of the Warburton Region, Western Australia". Rec, West, Aust. Smith (1966,p.128-129) refers to a specimenof Nolor- Mus. yctes typhlopscollected in 1906by H. S. Trotman on Burbidge,A. A. and McKenzie, N. L. (1976). "A Further Record the Canning Stock Route, betweenKillaguffa Rock- of Sminthopsis longicaudata (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae.)". W.A. Ndt. 13 (6),1M-145. hole (23',14'5, 12229'E) and OnegunyahRock Hole Burbidge, A. A., Mckenzie, N. L., Chapman, A. and Lambefi, "The (23"33'5, 12234'E). She statesthat it was the first P. M. 0976). Wildlife of some Existing atrd Proposed record of Notoryctes typhlops from Westem Australia ReseNes in the Great Victoria and Gibson Deserts, Westem and that it waslodged in the W.A. Museumas specimen Australia". Wildl. Res. Bull. West. Aust. No. 5 (DeDt. Fish, 8815. This specimen wildl.. Penh). number has now been re-catal- Butler, W. H. (1971). "Report on a.o Expedition to the Durba ogued as M16061. Its locality data plac€sit within Range, Canning Stock Route, W.A." Unpublished. the boundariesof the proposedLake Disappointment Calaby, J. H. (197D. 'The Current Statusof Austmlian Macro. Nature Reserve. Unfortunately,the locality listed for podidae". Aast. Zool. 16 (1),11-29. Corbett, L. K. (1975). "Geographical Distribution and Habitat this specimenin the 1907taxidermist's log of the W.A. of the Marsupial Mole, Notorlctes b)phlops," Aust Mamm. I Museum is "Joanna Springs", ca 200 km NNE of (4),37s-j'78. "Zur OnegunyahR.H. and this is the locality included in Felten, H. (1964). Taxonomie indo-australischer Fleder- meuse der Gattvl]g Tadati.la (Mammalia, Chiroptera)". Corbett (1975). Certainly habitat preferencesdis- Senck.Biol. 45. t-13. cussedin Corbett (197t indicate that both localities Finlayson, H. H. (1961). "On Central Australian Mammals: are equally possible. However, as Smith is quoting Part IV-The Distdbution and Status ol Central Australian Trotman's actual descriptionof the events associated Species". -Rec.S, Aust. Mus. 14 O), 141-191. "Joanna Frith, H. J. (1973). Wildlife Conseryation. (Argus and Robert- with tho collection, the Springs" locality is son, Sydney). probably an error. In 1968a specimenof N. typhlops Hill, J. E. (1961). "Indo-Australian Bats of the Ge ts Tddarida-" (W.A.M. M7711 26"08'5,126"35'E) was recordedfrom Mammalia 25 (1), 29-56. ; Marlo$. B. J. (1958), "A Surveyofthe Marsupialsof New South Warburton Mission. Wales'. aS/RO Wildl.Ret. 3, 71-114. Parker, S. A. (1973). An Annotated Checklistof the Native Land While the information collectedduring these surveys, Mammals of the Northem Teritory". Rec. S. Aast- Mus. and an earlier survey reported by Burbidge et al. (19i6), 16, 1-57. has improvedknowledge of the mammalfauna of these Ride, W. D. L. (1910). A Gaide to the Natiye Mammals of Aus- areas, the foregoing discussionsugg€sts that modern t/d/ra. (Oxford University Press, Melbourne). Smith, Eleanor (1966). The Becko ing West-the Story of H. S. mammal collections are incomplete, especiallywith Trotman and the Canning Stock lRo&te. (Angus and Robert- respectto speciesof bandicootsand small wallabies son, Sydney). (seealso Calaby 1971;Marlow 1958). A fufther series WaLr.. C. H. S. (1972). Handbookof South Australidn Rodents and Snall Mar:upials. (field Nalurali5L'sSociery of Sourh of mammalsurveys is essentialif the conservationstatus Australia. Adelaide). of modern populationsof such speciesin thesedeserts, Youngson, W. K. and McKenzie, N. L. (1977). "An Improved and especiallyin the areasdefined for reservation,is to Bat-Collecting Technique". Bull. Aust. Mdmm, Soc.3 (2), be established. 20t1.

20 TABLE I FEMALE BREEDING INFORMATION_RODENTS AND BATS (X:enlargement; -:noedargement)

Number Enlarged Enlarged Species of Adult Location* Date maftrmae Notes Females uterus/i

Notomrsalexis 4 CR, LD 21-30 Nov. 1975 x All with one foetus 3 CR, YL, GD 19-29 Mar. 1976 x (2) x (3) Two lactating Pseudomysheftnaknsburgehsis I CR 22 Nov. 1975 4 YL, GD 19-22 lji,.ar. 1976 Tophozousgeorgianus 6 LD 25-27 Nov. 1975 Thee of the November speci- (1 GD 26 Mat. 19'76 X mens with one foetus, a fourth TR, GD 2+26 Mdr, 19'76 I was suckling a juvenile.

Tapho z o us fl a1tiv e nt r i s I LD 25 Nov. 1975 One foetus, 1 CR 28 Mar. 1976 Taddridaauttralis .... 1 CR 28 Mar, 19'16 Tadaridasp...... t+ CR, LD 21-25 Nov. 1975 X One foetus each. I4 CR 28 Mar, 1976 ; l4 28 Mar. 1976 t Epteticus pumilis 5 CR, LD 20-26 Nov. 1975 Two with two foetuses. 3 CR, TR, GD 22 30 Mar. 1976 ChalinoIo bus go uldii .... I CR 28 Mai 1976 Damaged during collection.

* GD-Gibson Desert Nature Reserye. CR-Carnarvon Radge Aiea. YL*Yeo Lake Area. LD-Lake Disappointment Area. TR-Todd Range. t A thid female specimen was damaged during collection.

.IABLE 2 SPECIES KNOWI\ FROM THE PROPOSED NATURE RESERVES(I975-1N6)

Species Camarvod Range Lake Disappointment Yeo I-ake Gibson Deseit Arca Natue Reserve

Macrcpusrobutlur Megaleiarufa ...... Antechinusmacdonnellensis .... Ningaui rid"i ...... t Notomyt alexis Pse u do m! t h?t makns bu r g en s i s Nyctophilusgeofroyi ...... Eptesicuspumilis X i Chalinolobusgouldii ...... Nyctieius Bre!i Tadatida auslMlis Tdda da sp...... Tdphozousgeorgianus ...... i; Tdphozo$fraviventri, ...... Tachyg lo s s u r acul e a t us X Canis faniliaris X

2r THE WILDLIFE OF SOMEE,XISTING AND PROPOSEDNATURE RESERVESIN THE GIBSON,LITTLE SANDYANt) GREATVICTORIA DESERTS, WesternAustralia

EDITEDBY N. L.McKenzie and A. A. Burbidse

WESTERNAUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE RESEARCH CENTRE 1979

DEPARTMENTOF FISHERIESAND WILDLIFE PERTH,WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Itildl. Res.Bull. Itest. Aust. 19,79,No. 8. l_36. CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT 5

PART I BACKGROUND N. L. McKenzre Background 5 References.... 5

PART II ENVIRONMENT A. A. Burbidgeand N. L. McKenzie Tntroduction 7 CarnarvonRange Area .... '1 Lake DisappointmentArea 8 Yeo Lake Area 10 GibsonDesert Nature Rese e .... 1l Acknowledgements .... 13

References.... IJ

PART.III MAMMALS N. L. McKenzie, W. K. Youngson,A. A. Burbidge, and A. ChaDman Introduction 16 SpeciesList 16 Discussion.... 18 Acknowledgements 20 References.... 20

PART MIRDS R. E. Johnstone,C. P. S. de Rebeiraand L. A. Smith Introduction 22 SpeciesList 22 Discussion.... 30 References.... 30

PART V AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES L. A. Smith and R. E. Johnstone Introduction 11 SpeciesList

Discussion.... JJ

References.... JJ

PART YI CONCLUSIONS A. A. Burbidgeand.N. L. McKenzie Conclusions 34 References.... 34 TABLES PART II ENVIRONMENT Page 1. Rainfall (mm) from threelocalities relevant to surveyareas l3 2. CarnarvonRange Area, vegetation l4 3. Lake DisappointmentArea, vegetation t4 4. Yeo Lake Area, vegetation 14 5. GibsonDesert Nature Reserve,vegetation.... 15

PART III MAMMALS 1. Breedinginformation-rodents and bats .... 2l 2. Speciesknown from the proposednature reserves (197 5-1976) .... 21

PART IV CONCLUSIONS 1. GibsonDesert plant formations 35

2. Dasyuridsand rodentsin reserves J) 3. Amphibolurusa\d Ctenotusspecies in reserves 36

FIGURES PART I BACKGROUND 1. Existingand proposednature reserves in WesternAustralian deserts ....

PART II ENVIRONMENT 1. Tall open-shrublandson top ofthe CarnarvonRange .... 2. Gully in the CarnarvonRange 3. Low woodlandsof Acaciaspp. south of the CarnarvonRange .... 4. Sandplainswith spinifexhummock grassland,Carnarvon Range Area 5. Low open-woodlandof mallee on sandplain,Carnarvon Range Area 6. Screeslopes, Durba Hills 7. Valley in the Durba Hills 8. Woodlandnear Durba Springs 9 9. Low open-shrublandson sandplains,Lake DisappointnentArea 9 10. Low open-woodlandsand low shrublands,Yeo Lake Area 10 11. Low shrublandsof Bluebushand Saltbush,Yeo Lake Area l0 12. Mulgaat StonyPoint . .... 10 13. Pan and gypsumdune vegetation,Yeo Lake Area n 14. Low open-woodlandon sandplainbetween pans of Yeo Lake .... ll 15. Low open-woodlandon sandplain,Yeo Lake Area 11 16. Gravellysandplain at EverardJunction 1l 17. Mulga low open-woodland,Young Range 12 18. Spinilexopen-hummock grassland near Young Range .... 12 19. Tall shrublandof Acaciqspp., Gibson Des€rt Nature Reserve.... 12 20. Campsite,Gibson Desert Nature Reserve.... 12

PART III MAMMALS 1. Taphozousflavirerlrrs, Durba Hills .... l8

COLOURPLATES_CENTRE PAGE 1. CarnarvonRange vegetation. 4. Low open-woodland,Yeo Lake Area 2. Sanddune near CarnarvonRange 5. Durba Springs 3. Durba Hills 6, Ride'sNingaui