Margaret Davies

Ontogeny of bone and the role of heterochrony in the myobatrachine genera Uperoleia, Crinia, and Pseudophryne (anura: Leptodactylidae: Myobatrachinae)

Descriptive data are provided for ontogeny of bone to metamorphosis in the myobatrachine species Uperoleia trachyderma; in pre‐ and postmetamorphic specimens of U. lithomoda, Crinia signifera, and Pseudophryne bibroni; and in postmetamorphic specimens of U. laevigata. Data derived from postmetamorphic U. laevigata indicate that dermal and endochondral elements ossify independently of each other in Uperoleia. Crinia signifera does not show the same degree of independence of ossification of dermal and endochondral elements as Uperoleia, whereas dermal and endochondral elements are not independent in P. bibroni. Ten (or possibly eleven) features are identified as being influenced by heterochrony within Uperoleia, confirming that the genus represents a highly pedomorphic lineage, four elements are influenced by heterochrony in Crinia, but only two in Pseudophryne.

Observations on temporary waters in northwestern Australia

The results of preliminary investigations of ephemeral waters of the wet-dry tropics are reported. These poorly known but extensive habitats cover much of the seasonally inundated land of northern Australia. Brief descriptions of the physicochemical characteristics of four contrasting sites are given along with a listing of the non-benthic fauna that utilize them. Ninety-six invertebrate taxa and eighteen species of vertebrates were recorded. Anuran amphibians were particularly abundant in these systems and their patterns of utilization of these temporary waters is described. Because of their seasonal abundance, tadpoles and young frogs are likely to be important prey for a suite of both invertebrate and vertebrate predators.

A New Species of Litoria (Anura: Hylidae) from New South Wales, Australia

adjacent Great Dividing Range have a rich frog fauna which was the subject of a revisionary study by Moore (1961). There is no doubt that Moores monograph stimulated work on the fauna throughout the continent. Included in the species described subsequently from eastern New South Wales are five species of the hylid genus Litoria Tschudi: L. brevipalmata Tyler, Watson and Martin; L. olongburensis Liem and Ingram; L. revelata Ingram, Corben and Hosmer; L. subglandulosa Tyler and Anstis (replacement name for L. glandulosa Tyler and Anstis, 1975, preoccupied); and L. tyleri Martin, Watson, Gartside, Littlejohn and Loftus-Hills. Here we describe an additional species of Litoria from sites upon the Great Dividing Range centered upon Armidale and Glen Innes.

Significant extension in northern Australia of the known geographic range of the Shield Shrimp Triops australiensis (Crustacea: Notostraca)

The program BIOCLIM predicts the total geographic distribution of species, based upon the biogeoclimatic characteristics common to the localities at which they are known to occur. Field studies in the Northern Territory have located the Shield Shrimp Triops australiensis at localities substantially north of its known and predicted geographic distribution.

An ontogenetic and interspecific study of the renin-angiotensin system in australian anuran amphibia

Abstract 1. 1. The relationships between renal renin content and the parameters of body weight, lifestyle, and stage of development have been examined in 26 species of Australian frogs. 2. 2. A significant inverse relationship between body weight and renal renin content was found in both adult and juvenile frogs and tadpoles. 3. 3. An apparent relationship with ontogenesis was found in one of two species studied where renal renin content fell with progressive development from tadpole to adult frog. 4. 4. No relationship could be demonstrated between renal renin content and lifestyle.

A New Species of Hylid Frog from Northern Australia

Litoria longirostris sp. nov. occurs in the McIllwraith Range, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia. It is a member of the L. dorsalis species group represented in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is characterized by its elongate head, narrowly spaced nostrils and unwebbed fingers with transversely oval discs. The new species is considered most closely related to L. timida of New Guinea.

The Spatial Distribution of Five Species of Raillietina Infecting the Emu, Dromaius Novaehollandiae

Summary The intensity and distribution of five species of Raillietina: R. australis, R. beveridgei, R. chiltoni, R. dromaius and R. mitchelli, in the intestine of farmed and wild emus, Dromaius novaehollandiae was determined. All of the emus were infected with cestode species that occupied predictable portions of intestine. Site segregation appeared to be dependent on species intensity. Species with morphologically similar genitalia appeared to separate suggesting that species segregation may facilitate cross fertilisation in the hermaphroditic parasite.

A New Species of Litoria (Anura: Hylidae) from Irian Jaya, New Guinea

N EW Guinea has a rich hylid frog fauna occupying tropical habitats from sea level to cool, alpine sites at an elevation of 4,000 meters. This fauna includes only two genera: Litoria Tschudi and Nyctimystes Stejneger. Tyler (1968) revised the New Guinea Litoria (then referred to Hyla Laurenti) and recognized 44 species, of which 10 were described as new. Subsequent contributions have raised the number of known species to 54 (Menzies, 1969, 1972; Menzies and Zug, 1979; Menzies and Zweifel, 1974; Tyler and Parker, 1972, 1974). Most of the species described in recent years result from collecting during that period, but here we describe a new species unnamed since its first collection in 1938.

Biology, Morphology and Distribution of the Australian Fossorial Frog Cyclorana cryptotis (Anura: Hylidae)

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