Stygofauna diversity and distribution in Eastern Australian cave and karst areas

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 7 years ago

ABSTRACT – This paper reviews the diversity and distribution of the stygofauna of Eastern Australia on a regional basis. Most of the stygofauna is concentrated in the highland karsts of New South Wales and Tasmania. Two hundred and thirty-eight taxa are present and amphipods, syncarids and hydrobiid gastropods are the dominant and most widespread groups. Nearly half of the total fauna are stygobites (82 taxa) and stygophiles (34 taxa). Also present are taxa with Gondwanan and Pangaean affinities, taxa that are phylogenetic and distributional relicts, and locally endemic taxa. Diversity and distribution at the local karst scale is also discussed using a case study of Wombeyan Caves, one of the richest stygofauna sites in Eastern Australia. The paper concludes with suggestions for further research.

Author(s) Mia E. Thurgate, Jane S. Gough, Arthur K. Clarke, Peter Serov and Andy Spate
Volume
Supplement 64 : Subterranean Biology in Australia 2000
Article Published
2001
Page Number
49

DOI
10.18195/issn.0313-122x.64.2001.049-062