An inventory of the invertebrates of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

Abstract

This paper summarizes the information contained in an inventory of invertebrates recorded from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (WHA). The WHA covers an area of 1.38 million hectares in the western half of Tasmania. A total of 1397 terrestrial/freshwater species from 293 families in nine phyla are listed as occurring in the WHA. The most diverse phylum is the Uniramia (904 species, 172 families), followed by the Chelicerata (179 species, 56 families), Aschelminthes (Rotifera: 90 species, 22 families), Crustacea (88 species, 21 families), Mollusca (69 species, 14 families), Annelida (57 species, five families), Platyhelminthes (eight species, one family), and the Onychophora and Nemertea (one species each). Sixty-three marine and estuarine species from six phyla are listed for the limited area of marine/estuarine habitat within the WHA. The terrestrial/freshwater WHA invertebrate fauna is characterized by high Tasmanian endemism (46.7% of species are Tasmanian endemics), and a high proportion of species with a predominantly western-Tasmanian distribution and/or a restricted geographical range. The WHA includes the globally unique Bathurst Harbour estuarine system. The marine and estuarine invertebrate fauna of the estuary is largely undescribed, but is likely to show very high levels of Tasmanian and local endemicity. The characteristics of the WHA invertebrate fauna reflect the extant habitats of the area, as well as past geological and climatic processes that have led to their development. The WHA contains 16 threatened invertebrate species, while a total of 34 introduced terrestrial and seven introduced marine invertebrate species have been recorded from the WHA. The invertebrate fauna of the WHA contributes substantially to the World Heritage faunal values of the area. Formal description of currently undescribed material from Bathurst Harbour is likely to substantially add to the World significance of the WHA. The high level of protection afforded the WHA makes the area important for long-term invertebrate fauna conservation in Tasmania. A full inventory of species can be viewed on the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (DPIWE) website (www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au).