The Taming of <i>Smeagol</i>? A New Population and an Assessment of the Known Population of the Critically Endangered Pulmonate Gastropod <i>Smeagol hilaris</i> (Heterobranchia, Otinidae)
The genus <i>Smeagol</i> consists of five named species of air-breathing marine slugs (restricted to southern Australia and New Zealand) and three undescribed taxa from southern Japan. Only one species, <i>S. hilaris</i>, is known to be from New South Wales (NSW), and it prev...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/1/86 |
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| author | Matt J. Nimbs Tom R. Davis Sebastian P. Holmes Lachlan Hill Samara Wehmeyer Amanda Prior Jane E. Williamson |
| author_facet | Matt J. Nimbs Tom R. Davis Sebastian P. Holmes Lachlan Hill Samara Wehmeyer Amanda Prior Jane E. Williamson |
| author_sort | Matt J. Nimbs |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The genus <i>Smeagol</i> consists of five named species of air-breathing marine slugs (restricted to southern Australia and New Zealand) and three undescribed taxa from southern Japan. Only one species, <i>S. hilaris</i>, is known to be from New South Wales (NSW), and it previously had a known distribution limited to one site, Merry Beach on the south coast. This diminutive invertebrate is classified as critically endangered in NSW due to its extremely restricted distribution and concern about its historically declining numbers. Accordingly, the aims of this study were to survey the known population of <i>S. hilaris</i> at Merry Beach and to explore other potentially suitable sites, using a visual census method, to determine if further populations or species exist in NSW. The resulting quantitative surveys of the known population and a new population at Storm Bay, Kiama, NSW, are reported here. DNA barcoding of a ~650 bp segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome <i>c</i> oxidase I (COI) gene for several individuals from each population confirmed the conspecificity among the two populations. The population at Merry Beach was found to remain viable, while the discovery of the new population of <i>S. hilaris</i> represents a doubling of the known global populations of this species. Details of the highly-specialised niche habitat occupied by <i>Smeagol</i> in New South Wales and recommendations for ongoing management are documented. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:01:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c326c3613c6b48309331fcebe4aab3fa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:01:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-c326c3613c6b48309331fcebe4aab3fa2023-11-30T21:54:24ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-01-011518610.3390/d15010086The Taming of <i>Smeagol</i>? A New Population and an Assessment of the Known Population of the Critically Endangered Pulmonate Gastropod <i>Smeagol hilaris</i> (Heterobranchia, Otinidae)Matt J. Nimbs0Tom R. Davis1Sebastian P. Holmes2Lachlan Hill3Samara Wehmeyer4Amanda Prior5Jane E. Williamson6New South Wales Fisheries, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, AustraliaNew South Wales Fisheries, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, AustraliaSchool of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2573, AustraliaSchool of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2573, AustraliaSchool of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2573, AustraliaThreatened Species Unit, Department of Regional New South Wales, Fisheries, Nowra, NSW 2541, AustraliaSchool of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, AustraliaThe genus <i>Smeagol</i> consists of five named species of air-breathing marine slugs (restricted to southern Australia and New Zealand) and three undescribed taxa from southern Japan. Only one species, <i>S. hilaris</i>, is known to be from New South Wales (NSW), and it previously had a known distribution limited to one site, Merry Beach on the south coast. This diminutive invertebrate is classified as critically endangered in NSW due to its extremely restricted distribution and concern about its historically declining numbers. Accordingly, the aims of this study were to survey the known population of <i>S. hilaris</i> at Merry Beach and to explore other potentially suitable sites, using a visual census method, to determine if further populations or species exist in NSW. The resulting quantitative surveys of the known population and a new population at Storm Bay, Kiama, NSW, are reported here. DNA barcoding of a ~650 bp segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome <i>c</i> oxidase I (COI) gene for several individuals from each population confirmed the conspecificity among the two populations. The population at Merry Beach was found to remain viable, while the discovery of the new population of <i>S. hilaris</i> represents a doubling of the known global populations of this species. Details of the highly-specialised niche habitat occupied by <i>Smeagol</i> in New South Wales and recommendations for ongoing management are documented.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/1/86threatened speciesvisual censusconservation managementboulder beach faunaSmeagolinaegravel maggots |
| spellingShingle | Matt J. Nimbs Tom R. Davis Sebastian P. Holmes Lachlan Hill Samara Wehmeyer Amanda Prior Jane E. Williamson The Taming of <i>Smeagol</i>? A New Population and an Assessment of the Known Population of the Critically Endangered Pulmonate Gastropod <i>Smeagol hilaris</i> (Heterobranchia, Otinidae) Diversity threatened species visual census conservation management boulder beach fauna Smeagolinae gravel maggots |
| title | The Taming of <i>Smeagol</i>? A New Population and an Assessment of the Known Population of the Critically Endangered Pulmonate Gastropod <i>Smeagol hilaris</i> (Heterobranchia, Otinidae) |
| title_full | The Taming of <i>Smeagol</i>? A New Population and an Assessment of the Known Population of the Critically Endangered Pulmonate Gastropod <i>Smeagol hilaris</i> (Heterobranchia, Otinidae) |
| title_fullStr | The Taming of <i>Smeagol</i>? A New Population and an Assessment of the Known Population of the Critically Endangered Pulmonate Gastropod <i>Smeagol hilaris</i> (Heterobranchia, Otinidae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Taming of <i>Smeagol</i>? A New Population and an Assessment of the Known Population of the Critically Endangered Pulmonate Gastropod <i>Smeagol hilaris</i> (Heterobranchia, Otinidae) |
| title_short | The Taming of <i>Smeagol</i>? A New Population and an Assessment of the Known Population of the Critically Endangered Pulmonate Gastropod <i>Smeagol hilaris</i> (Heterobranchia, Otinidae) |
| title_sort | taming of i smeagol i a new population and an assessment of the known population of the critically endangered pulmonate gastropod i smeagol hilaris i heterobranchia otinidae |
| topic | threatened species visual census conservation management boulder beach fauna Smeagolinae gravel maggots |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/1/86 |
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