The superfamily Sylvioidea contains the most diversified species within the Passerida. The grey-cheeked fulvetta (Alcippe morrisonia) and the eyebrowed wren-babbler (Napothera epilepidota) are birds with a weak flight that live in lightly wooded or scrubland environments. In the present study, two new mitogenomes of A. morrisonia (KX376475) and N. epilepidota (KX831093) within the superfamily Sylvioidea were sequenced and their total lengths were 17 788 bp and 17 913 bp, respectively. Both mitogenomes comprised 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs and two control regions (CR and CCR). Similar to most metazoans, both mitogenomes and their protein-coding genes encoded on the H-strand displayed typical positive AT skews and negative GC skews. Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analyses were conducted on the basis of partitioned data of mitogenomes and two identical topologies were observed. The family-level phylogenetic relationships ((((Pellorneidae, Leiothrichidae) Timaliidae) Zosteropidae) Sylviidae) among the superfamily Sylvioidea were strongly supported. Within the family Pellorneidae, A. morrisonia clustered with N. epilepidota. Within Leiothrichidae, we further demonstrated that Babax lanceolatus is sister to Garrulax perspicillatus, and Spizixos semitorques was nested within the genus Pycnonotus according to the mitogenomic data and we propose that the generic placement of Spizixos should be reconsidered.

Amphibian chytridiomycosis disease has caused widespread declines and extinctions of frogs in cool, wet habitats in eastern Australia. Screening suggests that the disease does not yet occupy all areas modelled to be environmentally suitable, including rainforests on Cape York Peninsula. Cape Melville is an area of rainforest with several endemic frogs, including the stream-associated Melville Range treefrog (Litoria andiirrmalin), which is deemed at particular risk of disease impacts. We tested 40 L. andiirrmalin for chytrid infection by PCR and found them all to be negative. In conjunction with previous testing at another high-risk location, McIlwraith Range, this suggests that endemic rainforest frogs on Cape York have been spared the introduction of chytridiomycosis. We discuss how the disease could get to these areas, what can be done to reduce the risk, and suggest an emergency procedure should it be introduced.

Effective management of tree-hollow-dependent wildlife is enhanced by detailed knowledge of the trees used for shelter and breeding. We describe the characteristics of 52 den trees and hollows (cavities) used by the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) in the south-west of its geographic range. We compared the following attributes of den trees to reference trees: tree height, diameter at breast height, hollow entrance height, hollow entrance diameter, cavity diameter, cavity depth, cavity roof height and cavity wall thickness. Dens and reference trees showed a highly significant multivariate difference (P < 0.001), with these variables explaining 64% of the variance. Univariate analyses revealed that hollow entrance height was significantly different between den trees (9.0 ± 0.5 m) and reference trees (5.5 ± 0.3 m). While not significant, den trees tended to have narrower hollow entrances, deeper cavities and thinner walls than reference trees; cavities used by yellow-bellied gliders, on average, measured 36.8 cm deep and 18.0 cm in diameter, and had entrances 10.6 cm in diameter. These observations should assist forest management for this species.

Understanding the movement ecology of freshwater fishes, and how these patterns are affected by flow, is important for identifying key threats to populations and predicting their response to management strategies. We used acoustic telemetry to investigate the day-to-day behaviour and movement patterns of eel-tailed catfish (Tandanus tandanus) and examine how their behaviour was affected by natural changes to the flow regime in a subtropical river. Movement patterns varied within the tagged population: 29% were sedentary, 64% undertook interpool movements and 7% undertook reach-scale movements. The mean maximum distance travelled was 0.75 km (±0.33, s.e.) and the maximum distance travelled was 16.9 km downstream. Fish moved upstream and downstream between pools mostly at dawn and dusk, presumably to feed in riffles. Most interpool movements were undertaken during low-flow conditions (<0.2 m s^–1 and <6.0 m³ s^–1). Generally, the population responded inconsistently to flow events; however, the greatest movement response was detected during the first post-winter flow. Although fish preferred to move on an event fall, several fish continued to move throughout the study reach under baseflow conditions. Management strategies protecting low-flow conditions that maintain connectivity between daytime refuges and riffles may be important for the species’ conservation. The effective delivery of post-winter flow events, particularly in perennial systems, is likely to provide critical dispersal opportunities and aid long-term population viability.

The ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) is listed as Vulnerable in Australia, and is a difficult species to study in the wild. The published literature available on even the most basic aspects of its ecology is limited. This study describes an investigation into the diet of ghost bats occupying the Pilbara region of Western Australia, using identification of dried food remains recovered from beneath roosts in the 1980s and 1990s, and DNA metabarcoding of faecal pellets collected from roost sites during 2011–12. Ghost bat diet in the Pilbara region consists primarily of small mammal and bird species, with a lesser contribution from reptiles (geckoes and skinks) and amphibians. In total, 46 vertebrate taxa were identified, with 32 taxa identified from the dried food remains, and 21 taxa by DNA metabarcoding analysis of the faecal pellets. Only seven of the taxa identified were common to both collection methods, and 32 of those taxa identified represent new prey records for ghost bats in Western Australia, and 19 prey species that had not previously been reported from any other part of Australia. Knowledge of the diet of the ghost bat will provide land managers with important information necessary to ensure the continued survival of this species across its range.

In Australia, the spectacled flying-fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) (SFF), is listed as ‘Vulnerable’. Many juvenile SFFs come into care at the Tolga Bat Hospital, a privately funded community organisation. The aims of this study were (1) to estimate postnatal growth rates for length of forearm and body mass; (2) to describe the association between body mass and length of forearm; and (3) to develop a milk feeding chart for infant SFFs. Cross-sectional data were collected for 2680 SFFs from the 2006–07 to the 2016–17 seasons. Forearm length increased by 0.55 mm and body mass increased by 1.5 g per day. Longitudinal data were collected during the 2016–17 season for 128 SFFs. According to these data, forearm length increased by 0.71 mm and body mass increased by 3.4 g per day. Both analyses indicated exponential associations between forearm length and body mass (P < 0.001). Reasons for the differences between the cross-sectional and longitudinal results might include the negative impact of tick paralysis in the cross-sectional study and the positive effect of human care in the longitudinal study. The proposed feeding chart is based on length of forearm. This study was established in a wildlife-care facility providing a model for similar work with other wildlife species.

The irregular nature of rainfall in the Australian arid and semiarid zones results in a heterogeneous distribution of resources in both time and space. The mammal species that reside in these regions are uniquely adapted to these climatic conditions, often occurring in naturally low densities and increasing significantly in numbers following major rainfall events. We investigated how these adaptations may influence genetic diversity and gene flow across the landscape in an endangered semiarid/arid-zone marsupial, the sandhill dunnart (Sminthopsis psammophila), from three known populations in southern Australia. Analyses of mitochondrial control region (CR) sequences and microsatellite loci revealed that S. psammophila had maintained similar levels of genetic diversity to other sympatric Sminthopsis species despite its endangered status. There was no evidence for significant phylogeographic structure within the species, but each population was genetically differentiated, based on the frequency of microsatellite alleles and CR haplotypes, suggesting that they should be considered as distinct Management Units for conservation. At a fine spatial scale, no significant genetic structure or sex-biased dispersal was detected within a study site of 240 km². These findings suggest that both sexes are highly mobile, which allows individuals to locate localised resource patches when they become available. We detected evidence of a genetic bottleneck within the population, possibly caused by a recent drought. Our study highlights the importance of maintaining connectivity across the landscape for semiarid- and arid-zone species to enable them to track resource pulses and maintain genetic diversity.

This is the first study about trophic traits of Grammostola vachoni, a threatened theraphosid spider endemic to the mountain systems of central Argentina. Four prey types were used in experiments: crickets, cockroaches, beetle larvae and adult beetles. Grammostola vachoni was observed to eat at a rate of about once every 11 days, with the mean total number of prey consumed per spider during the experimental period being 2.7. Latency to the first attack was similar for crickets, cockroaches and beetle larvae, but was shorter for adult beetles. Feeding time was significantly longer for crickets and beetle larvae. Mass gain was significantly different among prey types. Feeding effectiveness and ingestion rate were significantly higher for crickets. A significant positive correlation for feeding effectiveness and ingestion rate with prey mass and the initial spider mass was also found.