Mr James Tweed1, Mr Zac Billingham2,3, Dr Francesco Martoni4, Professor Salit Kark1

1School of the Environment, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, 2Department of Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia, 3Water Sciences, Natural Resources and Heritage, GHD, Melbourne, Australia, 4Agriculture Victoria, Bundoora, Australia

Biography:

I am a PhD student at The University of Queensland, studying various aspects of insect conservation, taxonomy and ecology, with a focus on the fauna of Norfolk Island.

Abstract:

Threatened species lists are an important conservation tool; however, invertebrates are notoriously underrepresented on such lists. Increasing invertebrate threat assessments to improve list accuracy and completeness should be a high priority for invertebrate conservation.

Taxonomists often play an integral role in threat status assessments of the species on which they work, particularly for poorly known groups such as invertebrates. Despite this, few invertebrate taxonomy papers contain threat assessments, a common feature of vertebrate taxonomy papers. Incorporating preliminary threat assessments within taxonomic publications has potential to expedite species assessments and improve the accuracy of threatened species lists.

As a small, isolated island, many of Norfolk Island’s endemic plants and animals are known or suspected to be threatened with extinction; however, only a handful of invertebrates have been assessed. Here we present recent work on the taxonomy of Norfolk Island’s craneflies (Diptera: Limoniidae) and show how it has provided the platform for threat assessments and conservation of this poorly known group. Following extensive fieldwork, morphological examination, and COI barcoding, 22 species are now known from the island, including one described and nine undescribed endemics. Based on data collected during this revision, we assessed the threat status of Norfolk’s endemic craneflies using the IUCN Red List criteria. More than half should be regarded as threatened, and most have specific habitat associations and restricted distributions. This study sets a baseline for the assessment of other Norfolk Island insects, provides insight into the conservation requirements of a poorly known invertebrate group and provides an example of how taxonomic studies can be the foundation for invertebrate conservation.