Remepedia a kind of crustacean from the stygofauna at Cape Range, Western Australia. This primitive group of crustaceans was previously only know from the northern hemisphere.
Credit: Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology & Biodiversity, University of Adelaide.
SYDNEY: Scientists have discovered 850 new species by surveying murky underground waters, caves and 'micro-caverns' in central and southern Australia.
"Our research has revealed whole communities of invertebrate animals that were previously unknown," said evolutionary biologist Andy Austin of the University of Adelaide, in South Australia. "What we have discovered is a completely new component to Australia's biodiversity."
Austin, co-leader of the research team, presented the findings at a conference on evolution and biodiversity in Darwin at the end of last month. The invertebrates, mostly blind and lacking pigment, are thought to represent only one fifth of the number of species waiting to be discovered underground in the Australian outback.
Aquatic 'stygofauna'
The largest numbers of new species found were aquatic, particularly crustaceans such as amphipods, copepods and isopods.
One of the animals is a crustacean called Remepedia - an ancient species normally found in the northern hemisphere - and others are part of the Parabathynellidae group; tiny animals that "look like transparent worms with longish legs," said Austin. Another aquatic find was the diving beetle Dytiscidae, which has evolved to have no eyes.
In the 'micro-caverns' that have been searched over the last four years of the project, hundreds of new species of insects, spiders, mites, millipedes and worms were found. A particularly odd one is Schizomida - a relative of the spider but with tiny pincers rather than fangs.
The team, in conjunction with specialist scientists from all over the world, used both DNA and anatomical features to determine if the species were new. Half of the new species still need to be named, Austin said.
Coastal animals in the desert
These species all from groundwater systems, such as caves and aquifers are termed 'stygofauna'. This type of fauna was only discovered in Central Australia 15 years ago.
The species are actually more similar to those found near the coast than those from the desert, he added. They are the ancestors of aquatic fauna that was once widespread in Australia millions of years ago, before the continent became arid and they were forced underground.
"Essentially what we are seeing is the result of past climate change," said Austin. "Central and southern Australia was a much wetter place 15 million years ago." But as the continent became drier, the species took refuge in isolated favourable habitats, where they survived and evolved.
The discovery of these new species may also challenge current mining and pastoral activities, if they're found to negatively impact the conservation of these unusual habitats.
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