An additional historic record of Leadbeater's possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy, prior to the 1961 rediscovery of the species

2 Pages·1992·0.46 MB·English

by  D B Lindenmayer

Contributions
An Additional Historical Record of Leadbeater's Possum,
Gymnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy, prior to the 1961 Re-
discovery of the Species.
D.B. Lindenmayer* and J.M. Dixon**
The endangered species of arboreal beencollectedin 1899fromtheBassRiver
marsupial, Leadbeater's possum, area(Anon 1899)approximately60kmto
Gymnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy, is the south of the Central Highlands of
significant because it is the only native Victoria. Professor B. Spencer reported
mammal restrictedto Victoriaand oneof that one of these specimens, a male (No
the faunalemblemsofthatState. Virtually C1965) and the third to be collected, was
all sightings of G. leadbeateri in the past presented to the National Museum of
30 years are from the Central Highlands Victoria by Mr. A. Coles (Anon 1899).
ofVictoria within an area of60 km x 50 However, Brazenor (1932) discovered that
km thathas limitsofapproximately37°20' one of the animals (No. C4378) was
and 37°55'S latitude and 145°30' and collected from Koo Wee Rup Swamp, 30
146°20'E longitude (Lindenmayer et al. km to the north of the Bass River.
1991a). Some of the more major Brazenor (1932) also found a previously
settlements in this region include overlooked female specimen (No. 4377)
Healesville, Marysville, Warburton, from an abandoned gold miningcamp at
Powelltown, Noojee and Tanjil Bren. Sunnyside, Mt. Wills in north-central
All the records of G.leadbeateridating Victoria, approximately250kmnorth-east
from before its re-discovery in 1961, ofthelocationsoftheotherrecordsofthe
includingthose from wherethespecieswas species. Repeated surveysin theSunnyside
described, were collected outside the area (Brazenor 1932, Fleay 1933) and the
Central Highlands of Victoria
nearby Mitta Mitta area (Brazenor 1931),
(Lindenmayer et al. 1991a). This note failed to locate G. leadbeateri. Surveys in
summarises the early distribution records the Bass River Valley and Koo Wee Rup
ofG. leadbeaterianddescribesaspecimen
regions were also unsuccessful (Nicholls
previously overlooked before the re-
1911; Barrett 1942) and by the mid-20th
discovery of the species in 1961.
G. leadbeateri was described from two century the species was considered to be
male specimens (No. C4379 and C4380) extinct (Brazenor 1950). G.leadbeateriwas
collectedfromthebanksoftheBass River "re-discovered" in 1961 nearMarysville, in
near Westernport, south-eastern Victoria the Central Highlands of Victoria
(McCoy 1867; Dixon 1970). Kemp (1979) (Wilkinson 1961). Thespecies hadnotbeen
considered that these animals may have known from this region before this time.
come fromWoodleighStation, north-east Prior to 1961, five specimens of G.
of Korumburra. However, the precise leadbeateriwerecollected, andallofthese
A
location of these specimens has not been dated from 1909 or earlier. recent
resolved. examination of records in the National
In the 40 years following the discovery Museum of Victoria has revealed the
of the species, only two additional existence ofanother record ofthe species
specimens were taken (No. C1965 and dating from before 1961. A mounted
C4378). Initially, bothwerebelievedtohave specimenofG. leadbeateri(No. C3148) is
presentlyheldintheNational Museum of
* Centre for Resource& Environmental Studies, Victoria. The specimen was originally
The Australian National University, housed in the Burke Museum in
G.P.O. Box4, Canberra, ACT., 2601. Beechworth, northern Victoria. The
** Division of Natural Sciences, present administrator of the Burke
Museum of Victoria,
Museum, Mr. G. Gray,personallydelivered
328 Swanston St., Melbourne, Victoria, 3000.
217
Vol. 109 (6) 1992
a
Contributions
thespecimen forcleaning to the National Acknowledgements
MuseumofVictoriain theearly 1960s(G. We thank Mr. Graeme Gray and the
Gray pers.comm.). The existence of the staffof the Burke Museum for their help
mountedspecimen ofG. leadbeateriinthe in compiling various aspects of the
natural history collection was information presented here.
acknowledged in the Report ofthe Burke
Memorial Museum, dated 16 December References
1960. The specimen was contained in a Anon.(1899). FieldNaturalist'sClubofVictoria. The
cabinet with numerous other mounted Victorian Naturalist 16:105-106.
Brazenor, C.W. (1931). Twelve days in north-east
study skins and was between 50-100 years Victoria. The Victorian Naturalist 48:165-167.
old at the time of its transport to Brazenor, C.W. (1932). A re-examination of
Melbourne in the early 1960's (G. Gray Gvmnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy. Australian
pers. comm.). A check of the Natural BrazZeonoolro,giCs.tW.7:1(0169-5100)9.. The Mammals of Victoria.
History Catalogue at the Burke Museum NationalMuseumofVictoria. (Brown, Priorand
(1877-1933) as well as the records of the Anderson: Melbourne.)
Museum ofVictoria has revealed noother Broom, R. (18%). On a small fossil Petaurus-like
marsupial. Proceedings of the Linnean Society
details of the specimen and the exact site N.S.W. 10:568-570.
of collection could not be determined. Dixon.J.M.(1970).Catalogueofmammaltypes(Class
Further evidence of the existence of the Mammalia)in theNational MuseumofVictoria.
Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria
specimen was confirmed by Dixon and
31:105-114.
Huxley (1981), and by an examination of Dixon, J.M. and Huxley, L. (1981). The mammalian
records kept by the former Fisheries & fauna of the north-eastern districts 3, 4 and 5.
Wildlife Division ofVictoria(Department MReapmomrtaltoDetphaertmLeanntd, CNoantsieornvaaltioMnusCeouumncilo.f
of Conservation & Environment,
Victoria.
unpublished records). Fleay, D.H. (1933). A beautiful phalanger. The
During the mid-late 19th century, Victorian Naturalist 50:35-41.
Beechworth was one of the major towns Hall, L.S, (1974). A recent bone deposit at Marble
Arch, N.S.W. pp. 35-46. Proceedingsofthe Tenth
between Sydney and Melbourne and an BiannualConference Speleological Federation.
exchange of specimens may have taken Hope,J.H. (1976).Quaternary fossilmammallocalities
place between Beechworth and other in south-eastern N.S.W. and eastern Victoria.
(Department of Prehistory, The Australian
icsenotnrlesy.9H0owkemveNr,WthoeftMotw.nWoifllBseewchhewroerGt.h KempN,atiDo.nHa.l U(n1i9v7e9r)s.itJy:ohCnanbLeerardab.e)ater (1831-88): a
leadbeateriwascollectedin 1909(Brazenor naturalistinVictoria. VictorianHistoricalJournal
50:36-41.
ns1p9o3ew2c)i.imnetInthefiNsraotpmoisotsnhiaeblleBMuutrshkaeetuMmtuhosefeumViomcu,tnortaienadd, LindBHciunotmccalhyiimenarst,oicn,mD.oBd.Me,.lFl.iNnigxa,annddH.wATil.ad,nltiofenM,ccoMnaMsheXrovnat,i(o19nJ9—.1P)..,
may be another record of G. leadbeateri case study on Leadbeater's possum,
from outside the Central Highlands of GBivomgneoobgeralpihdveu18s:371l-e3a8d3b.eateri. Journal of
Victoria. The only other records of G. McCoy,F.(1867).Onanewgenusofphalanger.Annals
leadbeaterifrom areas northoftheCentral andMagazine ofNaturalHistory3:287-288.
Highlands of Victoria are fossils from Nichoplrlosc,eedEi.nBg.s.(1A911)t.ripFiuepldthNeatuBraaslsistV'aslleCy.lubThe-
pleistocene-ageddepositsin theWombeyan Victorian Naturalist 28:122.
andMarbleArchCavesinN.S.W. (Broom Watson, I. (1948). Excursion to Loch. The Victorian
1896, Hall 1974) and a number ofsimilar Naturalist 65:27.
depositsinthe Buchan region(Hope 1976). Wilkpinossosnu,m.H.ET.he(19V6i1c)t.oTrhiaenrNeadilsucroavleirsylo7f8:L9e7a-d1b0e2a.ter's
218
Victorian Nat.