We examined the relationships between Australian rodents and their pinworm nematode parasites (Oxyuridae, genus Syphacia). We produced a phylogenetic analysis of species of Syphacia from Australia, New Guinea and Sulawesi, and found that Australian Syphacia species communities are shaped by coevolution, taxon pulses and ecological fitting.

We explored the role of body size, diet type and residence time on habitat use in the Grampians vertebrate herbivore community using camera traps. None of these theories explained habitat use; red deer used a narrower range of habitats than expected, perhaps due to the poor suitability of available habitats.
Photo by Sarah Garnick.

This study provides the first report of a blood-sucking fly parasite, Passeromyia longicornis, parasitising an endangered songbird, the forty-spotted pardalote (Pardalotus quadragintus). I also report prevalence of Passeromyia longicornis in forest birds of south-eastern Tasmania and describe its larval life cycle.
Photo by Amanda Edworthy.

The Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) is a declared pest species on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, where we estimated that 21 separate peafowl groups exist currently. Habitat suitability modelling identified substantial unoccupied suitable habitat and radio-telemetry demonstrated that dispersal is possible. Further population growth is expected in the absence of management.
Photo by Calum Cunningham.

The mitochondrial genome of the Mary River turtle exhibits the standard vertebrate arrangement of 37 genes. Assessment of genetic variation among 22 individuals sampled across the natural distribution revealed only two control region haplotypes. This limited variation probably reflects a narrow distribution and recent history of exploitation.
Photo by Marilyn Connell.

We radio-tracked an obligate nectarivorous marsupial, the honey possum, within an area infested with the introduced plant pathogen, Phytophthora cinnamomi. Vegetation surveys conducted at locations selected by honey possums (as determined from tracking) and randomly selected sites revealed that sites selected by honey possums were significantly taller, denser, and more floristically diverse than their paired random locations.
Photo by Pat Dundas.

Our study presents the lowest skin temperature recorded for a free-ranging Australian microbat, Gould’s wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii), and reveals that roost choice in a temperate agricultural landscape affects their thermal physiology, ensuring survival during periods of cold weather and limited food supply.
Photo by Fritz Geiser.

Penicillate millipedes are minute, often unrecognised and understudied members of the Australian fauna found under bark and in leaf litter. Little is known about their reproductive behaviour. This study uncovers the mysteries of millipede reproduction observed in two species – their mating rituals, unique nest-building and egg-laying behaviour – and records their development from egg to adult for the first time.
Photo by Nicholas Porch.