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The Myrmecia of Tasmania
Invertebrata 2, December 1994

The primitive ant genus Myrmecia is endemic to Australia except for one New Caledonian species, M . apicalis Emery. The genus comprises the bulldog and jumper ants, in all more than 115 species. The Tasmania fauna includes five recognised species:

1. M. forficata Fab. A large dark red to black ant, nocturnal in its foraging, nesting in the soil, under rocks, in stumps and in dry logs. It is very common in coastal heath, in wet and dry sclerophyll, on the coast and well into the ranges. It is not found in fern and rain forest. It is found on Flinders, King, Maria and Bruny Islands.

M. pyriformis F. Smith has been recorded (1908) from King Island, but was almost certainly mistaken for M. forficata, which it closely resembles. Despite intensive searching, there has been no sign of M. pyriformis with its distinctive mounds on the islands or anywhere else in Tasmania. M. pyriformis is an ant of dry sclerophyll. King Island with its high and consistent rainfall would be an unlikely habitat for it. King Island specimens of M. pyriformis in the ANIC are definitely M. forficata. Moreover, John Clark (1951) does not record the species from Tasmania.

2. M. esuriens Fab. ('esuriens' meaning 'voracious'). Smaller than M. forficata, black and red in colour, an aggressive daylight forager, nesting under rocks and occasionally in dry logs. It is widespread and locally common, from the coast to the ranges and well into alpine plateau country. It is not found in rainforest. It is present on Maria and Bruny Islands but absent from King and Flinders Islands. On present evidence it appears to be endemic to Tasmania.

3. M. fulvipes Roger. A shiny black jumper with bright red legs, small colonies of 50 or fewer workers, nesting in soil and under rocks, widespread and locally common, it is found in dry and wet sclerophyll from the coast to local ranges. It is found on Flinders, Maria and Bruny Islands but not on King Island.

4. M. pilosula F. Smith. This is the notorious 'jackjumper'. It is proving to be a complex of closely related species that await closer definition. M. pilosula is abundant throughout Tasmania. It is found on beaches, in coastal scrub and heath, in dry sclerophyll, grasslands and lawns, ranges and the Central Plateau, and it has spread rapidly along the roadsides. It is not found in moss or rainforest nor in any form of forest with a thick understorey of bracken, blackberry or anything else. It is a troublesome ant, a fast aggressive jumper and a daylight forager. Its sting is not severe, but to people allergic to proteinaceous venom it can be dangerous. In south-eastern Australia there have even been deaths from its sting. The familiar dome-shaped mounds of M. pilosula house hundreds and often many thousands of ants.

5. M. urens Lowne. Prior to 1991, this species was recorded only once in Tasmania, from Launceston (Clark 1951). Actually, it is rare but widespread in the central north, the north-east and along the east coast of Tasmania (generally east of the Bass Highway). It is common on Flinders Island, rare on Bruny Island and absent from Maria and King Islands. Its habitat is dry sclerophyll and coastal scrub and heath. At a glance M. urens closely resembles a small M. pilosula, hence it is seldom recognised. It seems likely that, as with many Tasmanian ant species, its population is increasing with the felling and thinning of forest, with the elimination of bracken fern and the opening up of roads and tracks through the bushland. The species is spreading successfully along roadside and riverside. M. urens is the smallest of the jumper ants, black with yellow mandibles. It is a non-aggressive daylight forager on trees and flowering shrubs; sweep-netting often reveals its presence. It has a mild sting and its colonies (in Tasmania) are small, usually with fewer than 20 workers. Nests are in the soil and sometimes after it rains the nest is surmounted with an earthen spout 1-3 cm high.

Bede Lowery
Devonport

Reference:

Clark, J. 1951. The Formicidae of Australia. Vol. 1. Subfamily Myrmeciinae. Melbourne: CSIRO.

An unusual proliferation of heart urchins, Echinocardium cordatum
Invertebrata 2, December 1994

The common sand or heart urchin, Echinocardium cordatum, is unique to Australia's coastline because it's the only sea urchin with a world-wide distribution. Mostly it is observed as odd specimens along the shoreline of calm estuarine tidal waters, or as delicate, star-patterned, eggshell-like 'tests' among the flotsam and jetsam. Usually, though, due to their burrowing habits, heart urchins are more of an occasional 'find' than an abundant inshore invertebrate.

However, in mid-October 1994 an apparent population explosion of this echinoderm occurred in Henderson Lagoon at Falmouth. Thousands of live heart urchins ranging from 25 to 40 mm in length were visible literally 'shoulder to shoulder' around the stillwater tideline. Such a phenomenon has not been seen by the author in over 35 years of observations. By early November most of the urchins were dead or dying, and by the end of that month only 'tests' remained.

The explanation for the sudden appearance of E. cordatum in such numbers can only be a matter of speculation, based on extant physical circumstances. For instance, initiation of the phenomenon coincided with the lengthy dry spell during which only 8 mm of rain was recorded in 25 days. Spring tides associated with the full moon on 19th October might also have been relevant. It seems reasonable to presume that either a food abundance or a food shortage caused them to emerge from their sand caves, but beyond that it is impossible to guess.

A singular feature of the Falmouth heart urchin incident was that no other species seemed to be involved. Apart from soldier crabs, Mictyris platycheles, which abound in the area, there were few other signs of life. No sea hares were evident, nor any escalation in numbers of univalve or bivalve molluscs. This is in contradistinction to an extraordinary localised abundance of intertidal invertebrates occurring at Falmouth 18 months ago, which was investigated by staff at the QVMAG.

Notwithstanding the absence of any explanation for the Echinocardium cordatum abundance it is important that such events be recorded and epitomises the worth of such in-house publications as Invertebrata.

Tim McManus
Falmouth, Tasmania

Where it all started
Invertebrata 2, December 1994

Abel Tasman sighted the west coast of Tasmania on 24 November 1642. Tasman's ships, Heemskerck and Zeehaen, spent the next week working around the south coast and anchored on 1 December (by our calendar) in North Bay, on Forestier Peninsula. On 2 December two boats, one from each ship, rounded a point northwest of the anchorage and proceeded into Blackman Bay in search of wood, water and edible greens. The party landed and watered on the western shore of the Bay, and on returning to the ships the party leader, Pilot-Major Francois Jacobsz, reported on what he had seen to Tasman.

Included in Tasman's paraphrase of that report is a reference to a Tasmanian invertebrate, the first such reference on record and the only one in Tasman's journal. Unfortunately, the passage in question has been handled rather badly by its translators. Here's the original Dutch, as transcribed by Swart (1860, p. 71):

Dat voor aen omgeseyden hoeck meeichte van meeuwen, wilde entvogels en ganzen, maer landewaert in geen gesien, doch 't geruchte daervan wel gehoort hadden, hebbende geen visch als verscheyde mosselen (op verscheyde plaetsen by bosiens vastzittende) vernommen.

A translation by the Rev. C.G. Woide appeared in Burney's Voyages and became the standard version for much of the 19th century:

Before the said corner they saw people; and some wild ducks, and geese. They took no fish except muscles which stuck to little bushes (Burney 1813, pp. 70-71)

Matthew Flinders Voyage to Terra Australis repeated the observation that

Muscles were found sticking to bushes, in different places (Flinders 1966, p. lxxx)

In 1896 the historian James Backhouse Walker published what he called a literal translation of Swart's transcription. The aborigines were dismissed, but the bivalves remained on the greenery:

That in the entrance of the said point they had seen a multitude of gulls, wild ducks and geese, but none landward; though they had indeed heard the noise of them; and had observed no fish, but divers mussels sticking in sundry places on bushes. (Walker 1896, p. 53)

A translation by J.E. Heeres was included in the 1898 facsimile edition of Tasman's journal:

That at the extremity of the said point they had seen large numbers of gulls, wild ducks and geese, but had perceived none farther inward, though they had heard their cries; and had found no fish except different kinds of mussels forming small clusters in several places. (Heeres 1898, translation p. 15)

Finally, a new translation appeared in 1968 in a very scholarly study of Tasman's voyages by A. Sharp:

That round said point, numbers of wild gulls and birds and geese; but inland [they had] seen none; but had indeed heard the noises therefrom; having found no fish but various mussels (in various places lying stuck together in clusters). (Sharp 1968, p. 111)

I think it's safe to assume that the mussels weren't stuck to bushes, and that they were enjoyed by the Dutch sailors. Should Invertebrata use mussels for its logo?

Bob Mesibov
Research Associate, QVMAG

References:

Burney, J. 1813. A Chronological History of the Voyages and Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. Part III. From the Year 1620, to the Year 1688. London: Luke Hansard & Sons.

Flinders, M. 1996. A Voyage to Terra Australis... Vol. I. London: G. & W. Nicol, 1814, as Australiana Facsimile Editions No. 37; Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia.

Heeres, J. 1898. Abel Janszoon Tasman's Journal of His Discovery of Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand in 1644, Being Photo-Lithographic Facsimiles of the Original Manuscript in the Colonial Archives in the Hague... Amsterdam: Frederik Muller & Co.

Sharp, A. 1968. The Voyages of Abel Janszoon Tasman. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Swart, J. 1860. Journaal van de Reis naar het onbekende Zuidland, in den Jare 1642, door Abel Jansz. Tasman, met de Schepen Heemskerck en de Zeehaen. Amsterdam: G. Hulst van Keulen.

Walker, J.B. 1896. Abel Janszoon Tasman: His Life and Voyages. Hobart: Government Printer.

The bumble bees are really buzzing!
Invertebrata 2, December 1994

As a result of articles in The Mercury (9 October) and Star (10 October) newspapers, over 160 people have contacted me at the DPIF in Hobart about sightings of the bumble bee. This bee was first found in Tasmania in a Battery Point (Hobart) garden in February 1992. They are now quite widespread throughout the Hobart area. They are particularly prevalent in the areas of Dynnyrne, South Hobart and West Hobart.

Areas outside of Hobart with sightings so far are Neika, Cygnet, Adventure Bay and Fentonbury. Unconfirmed sightings are from the Gorge in Launceston, Freycinet National Park and Little Chinamans Bay.

To date they have been seen to visit some 81 types of plant.

Trevor Semmens
Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries
St Johns Avenue
New Town TAS 7008

Leech bites - goodies and baddies
Invertebrata 2, December 1994

Most people involved in bush activities have encountered leeches if not actually been bitten. Those bitten usually suffer minimal effects other than revulsion at the sight of blood or feeding animal when present. However, some unfortunates, such as myself, have insult added to injury by being allergic to the histamines injected in leech saliva. In January 1994 at Nunamara, both legs were bitten in roughly corresponding positions slightly lower and posterior to the inside of the knee. The victim had only been bitten once, some six years previously, on the lower left calf. At the time the symptoms seemed normal, but in retrospect may have been worse than thought.

The bite to the left leg being the worst was washed and bathed with Dettol, the other simply washed. A cottonwool dressing covered with surgical tape was applied to both. Over the next few days, the left wound progressively worsened, with blistering around the bite, swelling and redness of the knee, calf and ankle, the latter very swollen with severe itching. 'Polaramine' antihistamine tablets were taken. On day five, coincidentally at Reaction Peak, medical advice was sought and an antibiotic, Augmentin, prescribed in addition to antihistamines. The symptoms gradually subsided, inflammation clearing by day 15. The bite site remained visible for many months. Strangely, the right leg had no problems other than those normal for a leech bite, i.e. minor swelling, redness and slight itching. The wound healed, almost vanishing. It is unknown why one bite reacted severely, most symptoms appearing allergenic rather than bacterial, while another progressed benignly. Serious leech bites have been reported from other parts of the State, Nunamara may now be included. A local forestry employee reported collecting many bites (up to 14 in one day) with a co-worker receiving 19. The leeches were pulled off and thrown away. When bitten no effects other than 'occasional itching' were experienced. He did become sensitive to them crawling on his skin and could remove them before they bit.

The doctor reported sustaining numerous bites while bushwalking and 'bleeding like a stuck pig' with bleeding recurring up to two months after the wound healed.

The perpetrator of the left leg injury was captured but died on day five (revenge is sweet) before proper identification. Photographs taken before death combined with size (60 mm) indicate a possibility of it being Philaemon grandis. The second culprit was not found. Leech bites, then, as with other bites and stings, must be treated with some respect and susceptible persons made aware of their potential to cause serious, even life-threatening conditions. It would be interesting to know what percentage of bite victims have suffered severe and/or unusual symptoms, undoubtedly most have gone unreported. Perhaps other readers may be able to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge of the unloved but fascinating leech.

Mike Tobias
Amateur Naturalist

[Mike also provides excellent drawings both scientific and illustrative. Mike chose the millipede, Lissodesmus sp., for Invertebrata. -Ed.]

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