Living fossil found in Grampians National Park

An ancient dragonfly species has been found in two wetland locations, dramatically increasing its known range. 

The ancient greenling damselfly in the Grampians NP (Credit: Reiner Richter).

THE DISCOVERY OF a tiny damselfly - which is the only living example of a prehistoric group of species - in two new Victorian locations, has lifted hopes that the insect is moving away from the brink of extinction.

The ancient greenling damselfly (Hemiphlebia mirabilis) measures just 2.4 cm long and was only previously known from nine sites in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Hard to spot, the metallic green species has now been detected in wetlands at Victoria's Grampians NP, much to the delight of scientists and dragonfly enthusiasts.

"The rarity of the ancient greenling and its small size mean the species is difficult to locate. The adults are only present from late spring to summer, while the aquatic larvae remain hidden in the water for the rest of the year," says lead researcher behind the finding Dr Di Crowther with Victoria's Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE).

Brilliantly camouflaged

"Not only are the adults brilliantly camouflaged in amongst the reeds of the wetlands they inhabit, they are tiny, with a wingspan of just 22 mm and length of only 24 mm," she says.

Damselflies are relatives of dragonflies in the order Odonata - while dragonflies have wings that stick out at right angles when they are resting, damselflies can be recognised by wings that lie flat against the body while resting (see image, above).

The ancient greenling is the only living relative of the Hemiphlebiidae family, whose predecessors are found only in 250- to 300-million-year-old fossil records from Brazil to Russia. This makes the species a "living fossil", says Di, who says that although the find is significant, the ancient greenling isn't out of the woods just yet.

It is highly sensitive to changes in its environment and was last sighted eight years ago in Yea and Alexandra, in Victoria's north. Other populations at Wilsons Promontory had been battered by fire and shrinking wetlands, which the species needs to survive. It is not known if the species can fly long distances which would allow it to find new breeding grounds.

Chance finding

"This find is really significant because that gives hope that maybe there are other populations out there that haven't been found yet," Di says. "Hopefully it points to the species being sound. But there are concerns that they are really sensitive to any impact and they will just drop out."

A genetically diverse population is needed to prevent inbreeding and save the species from extinction, she says: "Every new site found is another step away from extinction."

The adult ancient greenlings, which are only present from late spring to summer, were discovered at two Grampians wetlands in late 2010 by dragonfly enthusiast and photographer Reiner Richter.

The DSE will continue its research of the species at several of Victorian sites including Yea Wetlands, Wilsons Promontory National Park and the Long Swamp complex in the state's southwest, as well as the new Grampians sites.




Living fossil found in Grampians NP

Kimberley could lose 45 species in 20 years

A staggering number of species in this Western Australian wilderness are at threat if action is not taken. 

Gouldian finches are one of many threatened Kimberley species (Credit: Bruce Doran).

UP TO 45 NATIVE species in Western Australia's Kimberley region will die out within 20 years if no action is taken, a CSIRO-led study says. It's called for an immediate cash injection of $95 million to save creatures, including the golden bandicoot, the scaly-tailed possum and the monjon rock wallaby from extinction.

"We're in the midst of an extinction event in Australia and the north has been the last stronghold for many native species of wildlife," says Dr Tara Martin, a CSIRO ecologist at the University of Queensland and co-author of the report.

"Thirty per cent of the threatened species identified in our study are unique to the Kimberley region, while others, like the golden bandicoot, have already disappeared elsewhere in the country," she told Australian Geographic. "The Kimberley is really their last chance on earth."

Last stronghold

The study - announced on Wednesday at a Canberra event organised by the Wilderness Society, who also commissioned the report - goes on to urge all tiers of government to open their wallets.

At the moment, just $20 million a year is spent on conservation efforts in the Kimberley, which is home to an assortment of threatened species. But the report says even if that money was spent properly, the region would still lose some 31 native animals. The numbers of many more birds, reptiles and mammals, such as the spotted tree monitor and the western chestnut mouse, would dwindle.

The report says that controlling feral cats is the best cost-effective measure to prevent species decline: this would be a three-pronged attack, including education, research and an end to dingo baiting. But it conceded the "feasibility of success" was low. The next best thing would be to effectively manage the threats of fire and foreign herbivores, which would see improvements for almost all wildlife species.

Business plan for nature

"This report is like a business plan for nature," co-author Professor Hugh Possingham says. "Our analysis shows the best bang for the buck and identifies not just the best things to do but what we can't afford not to do."

About $40 million would be needed annually in the Kimberley to protect its species, as well as boost plant life, help the climate and conserve indigenous land.

"This investment is great value," says Hugh, also based at the University of Queensland. "We can save some of Australia's most iconic mammals and birds at a cost of only about $1 million, per species, per year."

The Priority Threat Management to Protect Kimberley Wildlife report relied heavily on expert feedback because of a lack of available data on certain species and costs. It recommended getting other social, economic and cultural perspectives to round out a more comprehensive action plan.


Kimberley could lose 45 species in 20 years