Factors Affecting Flora Conservation - Victorian Environmental ...

113
fish species, of the 44 surviving species in
Victoria, had been recorded in the study area;
these are listed in Appendix VIII which also
shows their current conservation status.
Seven species are considered to be
threatened; Australian grayling, broad-finned
galaxias, dwarf galaxias, Macquarie perch,
Murray cod, pouched lamprey, and spotted
galaxias. In addition, the brown
galaxias (which is recognised as a separate
taxon, but not described as a species) is
endangered.
Appendix VIII includes a separate list of six
native species whose probable natural
distribution extends to the study area, that are
not recorded in the inventory of fish studies.
These species may no longer be present in
the study area, which is probably tme of the
trout cod, or may be present but not
recorded.
Ten introduced species, of the Victorian total
of 14, have been recorded in the study area
(DWR 1989); these are also listed in
Appendix VIII.
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Approximately 40% (44 of 113) of the reptile
species currently recognised in Victoria have
been recorded in the study area. The best
represented group, the skinks (Family
Sclncidae), comprises 23 species. The nextlargest
group, the front-fanged snakes
(Elapidae) has eight species, followed by die
dragons (Agamidae) with five
species. Another five families are poorly
represented: two fresh-water tortoises
(Chelidae), one gecko (Gekkonidae), two
legless lizards (Pygopodidae), one goanna
(Varanidae), and two bl ind snakes
(Typhlopidae).
A larger proportion, 67% (22 of 33), of
Victoria's amphibian species has been
recorded in the study area. Nine of the
•eleven species of tree frog (Hylidae) 13 ofthe
22 species of southem frog (Myobatrachidae)
occur here. Such a high degree of
representation of amphibian species may be
attributed to the variation in extent
and type of wedand present. This broad
range of habitats includes high-altitude
sphagnum bogs, fast-flowing rocky streams,
and low-lying swampy areas, all of which
contain their own distinctive amphibian
assemblage. For example, the Baw Baw frog
has adapted to the harsh and extreme alpine
environment on the Baw Baw Plateau,
Lesueurs frog is found in drainage lines
flowing from the forested mountainous
ranges; while the shallow lowland swamps
provide suitable habitat for the striped marsh
frog.
Relatively few documented accounts have
dealt with reptiles and amphibians in the
study area, compared with the other
vertebrate groups. The pioneering works of
Rawlinson (1965 and 1971) are exceptions,
and have added greatly to our
knowledge of the reptiles of the Melbourne
area and West Gippsland. The frog species,
tadpoles, and eggs of the Melbourne
metropolitan area have been described by
Llttlejohn (1963), Martin (1965), and Martin
et al. (1966) respectively. Several studies
have concentrated on specific areas.
Hutchinson (1979) and Braby (1989) have
produced comprehensive lists from the
Kinglake area, and Smales (1981) gave a
detailed account of species found at the
YeUingbo State Nature Reserve, including
some of their microhabitat requirements.
Since the CouncU's 1973 invesfigation, a
number of nomenclature changes have come
into effect. To avoid conftislon, a brief
synopsis of these changes is given in
Appendix VII. Some groups are still under
taxonomic revision, and two species of lizard
currendy contain a number of undescribed
taxa: the southem water skink, which
includes die cool temperate form (CTF) and
warm temperate form (WTF); and the grass
skink, which also includes two forms (Form
A and Form B). These forms have been
consistenfly referred to within the scientific
literature and wamant specific status. They
will consequently be treated as separate
species in this report.