Rainforests Of North Queensland Research Articles

THE LARVAL HABITAT OF PODOPTERYX SELYSI (ODONATA: MEGAPODAGRIONIDAE)

SUMMARYLarvae of P. selysi (Förster) were collected from water‐filled tree holes in rainforest in north Queensland, a habitat compatible with recorded observations on adult biology. The larvae resemble those of Argiolestes Selys.

NOTES ON THE DROSOPHILIDAE (DIPTERA) OF TOWNSVILLE, QUEENSLAND, INCLUDING FOUR NEW AUSTRALIAN SPECIES RECORDS

AbstractIn an investigation of the urban drosophilid fauna of Townsville, Queensland, 18 species were collected, 16 of them at household refuse heaps effectively acting as baits. Four of the baited species (Drosophila bipectinata Duda, D. kikkawai Burla,.1). sp. ef. jambulina Parshad and Paika, Sphaerogastrella javana (de Meijere)) are new records for Australia. The Townsville fauna is to some extent similar in species composition to that of the north Queensland rain forests, although some species abundant in Townsville are considerably rarer in the undisturbed natural forests and, conversely, a few of the most common forest species were not detected in the city. The Townsville urban drosophilid fauna differs substantially from that of southern Australia.

Species Diversities in Drosophila (Diptera): A Dependence Upon Rain Forest Type of the Queensland (Australian) Humid Tropics

The Drosophila species compositions within the rain forests of north Queensland, Australia, are closely correlated with rain forest type. The floristically complex rain forests (complex mesophyll vine forests) growing on rich basaltic soils harbour much greater species diversities than do less diverse forests (mesophyll and microphyll vine forests) of granitic soils. This is true for the three major collection methods used, namely fermented fruit baiting, mushroom baiting and sweeping, so implying general higher niche diversity in the floristically complex forests. Rare endemic Australian species of subgenera Hirtodrosophila and Scaptodrosophila appear to be almost entirely restricted to these complex forests, which are the most promising habitats for future biogeographic studies on the Australian Drosophila fauna of the humid tropics. These rare species include certain lek species of subgenus Hirtodrosophila found mainly in upland complex forests. Cosmopolitan Drosophila species are almost entirely excluded from the forests presumably because of severe competition for niches.

A revision of the Australian Tortricini, Schoeotenini, and Chlidanotini, (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Tortricinae)

The Australian Tortricini, Schoenotenini, and Chlidanotini together include 40 species in 17 genera. The Tortricini which are represented by 16 species in six genera, fall into two groups, the Phricanthes group with two genera and the Eboda group with four genera. Phricanthes Meyr. contains four Australian species, P. peistica and P. diaphorus being described as new. The other two species have a wide distribution abroad. The larvae attack plants in the family Dilleniaceae. The endemic genus Scolioplecta Meyr. includes seven widely scattered species, of which S. exochus and S. allocotus are described as new. A new species, A. diapella, from the Cape York Peninsula is referred to Amboyna Razowski, based on an Indonesian species. Anameristes, gen. nov. is a monotypic genus from north Queensland rain forest, established for Eboda cyclopleura Turn. Eboda Walk, contains one Australian species, and a series of others in the Indo- Malayan and Papuan areas. Asterolepis Razowski includes three species from Australia and New Guinea, with A. earina from Cape York and A. brandti from Papua described as new. The Schoenotenini are represented by 19 Australian species in seven genera. Two elements are distinguished. The Proselena group ranges from India to the New Hebrides and Rapa, including eastern Australia and New Zealand, while the Schoenotenes group has reached its greatest diversity in New Guinea. Proselena Meyr, has two species; Syncratus, gen. nov. has two new species, S. scepanus and S. paroecus; Tracholena, gen, nov., with type species Cnephasia sulfurosa Meyr., has three species; and Palaeotoma Meyr. is monotypic. The larvae of Proselena are leaf miners in Bursaria, those of T. sulfurosa tunnel in the bark of exotic Cupressus, while Palaeotoma has larvae boring in insect galls on Eucalyptus. Larval characters of these are discussed and compared with those of the New Zealand Prothelymna and Dipterina. The wide-ranging Diactenis Meyr., with a single new Australian species D. tryphera, may also belong to this group. Two genera of the Schoenotenes group are known from Australia. Cornuticlava Diak. includes three rain forest species in northern Queensland, including C. aritrana and C. phanera described as new. Epitrichosma Low. contains seven Australian species, one of which comes from the Darwin area, another E. hesperia, sp. nov. from south-western Australia, one from rain forest in southern Queensland and eastern New South Wales, and four including two new species E. ceramina and E. metreta from north-eastern Queensland. The last also occurs in New Guinea. The Chlidanotini contain five Australian species in four genera. Trymalitis Meyr. and Caenognosis Wals. are small but widely distributed Old World genera. The two new monotypic endemic genera Daulocnema, based on D. epicharis, sp. nov., and Leurogyia, based on L. peristictum, sp. nov., are described. The venation, genitalia, mouth-parts, and other adult structures, used to distinguish the genera, together with the larval characters of a few species, are discussed and figured. The genitalia of both sexes and the wings of the Australian species are figured and keys to the genera and species are given.