South Australian Museum

Abstract Biotic dispersal between regions is mediated by a suite of geographical, environmental, and biotic factors. Australia and Melanesia—with the latter centred on New Guinea—are geographically proximate regions that show differing abiotic environments and geological histories, providing an opportunity to document how environmental variation may interact with geographical proximity in shaping dispersal and evolution. Here, we present a phylogenomic framework and analysis of dispersal history for geckos in the genus Gehyra, a radiation of ∼70 species that occur across Australia, Melanesia, and nearby regions. Despite an evident history of numerous overwater dispersals in species groups occurring in Melanesia, we find very low rates of historical dispersal between Australia and Melanesia and no evidence of an increase in dispersal rate as land bridges formed between Australia and New Guinea from the late Miocene onwards. Analyses of body-size evolution suggest that ‘giant’ large-bodied forms have evolved on islands, but rather than evolving repeatedly on different islands, these are mostly members of a single old clade that dispersed across multiple islands. In contrast to some other Australasian vertebrate radiations, for Gehyra geckos, environmental differences appear to have strongly impeded dispersal between Australia and Melanesia, while also favouring differing trajectories of body size evolution.

The diversity and distribution of species' traits in an ecological community determine how it functions. While modern fish communities conserve trait space across similar habitats, little is known about trait-space variation through deep time or across different habitats. We examined how fish trait diversity varies through space and time by comparing three Late Devonian fish communities — a tropical reef (Gogo, Australia), a tropical estuary (Miguasha, Canada), and a temperate freshwater system (Canowindra, Australia) — with six modern communities from diverse habitats. Trait-space metrics reflecting within-community diversity (functional richness) and species similarity (functional nearest-neighbour distance) indicated Late Devonian communities had scores similar to modern communities. However, they were less functionally rich than their closest modern analogues, and their species tended to be more functionally distinct from one another. Metrics describing location in trait space (centroid distances and hypervolume overlap) showed modern communities were similar to each other, Gogo and Miguasha were similar but distinct from modern communities, and Canowindra was distinct from all others. This pattern suggests period-associated differentiation and substantial heterogeneity among some Late Devonian communities. In addition to temporal changes, we found consistent differences associated with habitat type and climate zone. Reef and tropical communities were the most functionally rich, whereas functional nearest-neighbour scores were highest in estuarine and temperate communities. These results indicate fish community trait space varies with time, habitat and climate, suggesting ( i ) lability in fish trait space and ( ii ) that evolutionary history, environmental filtering, and stochasticity influence community assembly. • The functional trait space of fish communities reflects evolutionary history, habitat, and climate. • Devonian and modern fish communities differ in their trait composition. • Trait differences imply ancient communities functioned differently. • Habitat- and climate-related patterns in functional diversity metrics are consistent across time.

Aulacus is a genus of parasitic wasps in the superfamily Evanioidea. We re-examine the Australian fauna, assessing both generic and species boundaries. In doing so, we provide diagnostic descriptions for 41 previously described species, two new species A. elongaticeps Parslow & Hill sp. nov. and A. gromiti Parslow & Hill sp. nov., and synonymise 19 speciesA. anici Jennings & Austin, 2018, A. aroueti (Girault, 1926), A. bashfordi Jennings & Austin, 2018, and A. simsoni Jennings & Austin, 2018 are all synonymised with A. albimanus (Kieffer, 1911); A. wrightae Jennings & Austin, 2018, is synonymised with A. aquilus Jennings & Austin, 2018; A. pallidus Jennings & Austin, 2018 and A. warraensis Jennings & Austin, 2018 are both synonymised with A. atriceps (Kieffer, 1911); A. kittelae Jennings & Austin, 2018 is synonymised with A. bamagensis Jennings & Austin, 2018; A. deansi Jennings & Austin 2018 is synonymised with A. belairensis Jennings, Austin & Stevens, 2004; A. brabyi Jennings & Austin, 2018 is synonomised with A. flavicornis (Kieffer, 1911); A. pallidicaudis (Cameron, 1911) is synonomised with A. flavimanus (Kieffer, 1911); A. nebo Jennings & Austin, 2018 and A. mareebaensis Jennings & Austin, 2018 are both synonymised with A. flindersbaudini Jennings, Austin & Stevens, 2004; A. mcmillani Jennings Austin & Stevens, 2004 is synonomised with A. fuscicornis Cameron, 1911; A. naumanni Jennings & Austin, 2018 is synonomised with A. jamberoo Jennings & Parslow, 2018; A. williamsi Jennings & Austin, 2018 is synonymised with A. kiwarrakensis Jennings & Austin, 2018; A. scitulus Jennings & Parslow, 2018 is synonymised with A. obcordellus Jennings & Parslow, 2018; A. hackeri Jennings & Austin, 2018 is synonymised with A. planiceps (Szepligeti, 1903); and A. tasmanicus Jennings & Austin, 2018 is synonymised with A. rieki Jennings & Austin, 2018. As well, A. biroi (Szpligeti, 1903) remains incertae sedis. Diagnostic figure plates for all valid 43 species and an updated key to the Australian species are also provided.

Many vertebrates have evolved resistance to snake venom as a result of coevolutionary chemical arms races. In Australian skinks (family Scincidae), who often encounter venomous elapid snakes, the frequency, diversity, and molecular basis of venom resistance have been unexplored. This study investigated the evolution of neurotoxin resistance in Australian skinks, focusing on mutations in the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α1 subunit's orthosteric site that prevent pathophysiological binding by α-neurotoxins. We sampled a broad taxonomic range of Australian skinks and sequenced the nAChR α1 subunit gene. Key resistance-conferring mutations at the toxin-binding site (N-glycosylation motifs, proline substitutions, arginine insertions, changes in the electrochemical state of the receptor, and novel cysteines) were identified and mapped onto the skink organismal phylogeny. Comparisons with other venom-resistant taxa (amphibians, mammals, and reptiles) were performed, and structural modelling and binding assays were used to evaluate the impact of these mutations. Multiple independent origins of α-neurotoxin resistance were found across diverse skink lineages. Thirteen lineages evolved at least one resistance motif and twelve additional motifs evolved within these lineages, for a total of twenty-five times of α-neurotoxic venoms resistance. These changes sterically or electrostatically inhibit neurotoxin binding. Convergent mutations at the orthosteric site include the introduction of N-linked glycosylation sites previously known from animals as diverse as cobras and mongooses. However, an arginine (R) substitution at position 187 was also shown to have evolved on multiple occasions in Australian skinks, a modification previously shown to be responsible for the Honey Badger's iconic resistance to cobra venom. Functional testing confirmed this mode of resistance in skinks. Our findings reveal that venom resistance has evolved extensively and convergently in Australian skinks through repeated molecular adaptations of the nAChR in response to the enormous selection pressure exerted by elapid snakes subsequent to their arrival and continent-wide dispersal in Australia. These toxicological findings highlight a remarkable example of convergent evolution across vertebrates and provide insight into the adaptive significance of toxin resistance in snake-lizard ecological interactions.

Abstract Long COVID, also referred to as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), is a substantial global health concern estimated to have affected over 145 million individuals worldwide. Characterized by persistent and new symptoms extending beyond four weeks from the initial infection—such as fatigue, breathlessness, and cognitive impairments—Long COVID poses significant challenges to healthcare systems due to its chronic nature and diverse clinical manifestations. An urgent need exists to elucidate its underlying mechanisms to facilitate the development of effective diagnostic tools and targeted treatments. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current datasets and computational methods to investigate the causes, risk factors, and potential treatments for Long COVID. To understand better the molecular processes driving this condition, we examine various omics data sources, including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics datasets. Moreover, we discuss how integrating multi-omics data and using advanced computational techniques—such as machine learning and network analysis—can enhance Long COVID diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic strategies. We also emphasize the importance of larger, more diverse cohorts, longitudinal research designs, and cross-cohort validations to strengthen the reliability and applicability of findings. By addressing these crucial aspects, this review aims to advance the development of effective interventions for Long COVID, ultimately improving patient outcomes and alleviating the disease burden.

Context We examined freshwater representatives from the family Ambassidae from across eastern Australia to test species boundaries and investigate biogeographic patterns. Aims To determine whether existing species boundaries are accurate, characterise introgression, and identify and contrast phylogeographic patterns. Methods Samples were obtained from 115 sites across the range of Ambassis agassizii, including representatives from other Ambassis spp. from river basins to the west and north. Data were obtained from three independent genetic approaches, allozymes (146 individuals), single nucleotide polymorphisms (239 individuals) and mitochondrial DNA (101 individuals). Key results Four groups of populations were identified as likely candidate species. The most widespread taxon, A. agassizii, had four phylogroups. Complex patterns of introgression were found in narrow contact zones, especially in the Burdekin Basin where all four candidate taxa occur. Conclusions Freshwater glassfishes have a complex evolutionary history in eastern Australia, with biogeographic patterns that are clearly different from those of the majority of other co-occurring species. Implications We provide clarification on the likely taxonomic diversity of the group in eastern Australia, thus providing a basis for more accurate understanding of biodiversity patterns and a solid basis on which to undertake taxonomic revisions and consider conservation issues across these taxa.

The marsupial Family Acrobatidae includes the smallest gliding marsupial species in the monotypic Acrobates, found only in eastern Australia, and an equally small non-gliding species in another monotypic genus Distoechurus, found only in New Guinea. We applied molecular genetic analysis to Acrobates to assess the systematic significance of variation in superficial external characters of the tail and hindfoot (pes). Deep divergence in mitochondrial and nuclear genes demonstrated the broad sympatry of two species consistent with prior morphological diagnoses. Morphological assessment of museum vouchers showed that their distributions overlap extensively in New South Wales and Victoria and include locations where a range of biological research was conducted on the assumption of the presence of a single species. Many of these studies cannot be reassessed because neither vouchers nor tissue suitable for molecular genetic identification were collected. Intriguingly, acrobatids are the only marsupial group with internal ear discs, and the two species of Acrobates show demonstrable differences in the morphology of this structure, the biological significance of which needs to be established. Both species of Acrobates occur widely in the eucalypt forests of south-eastern Australia, which appear to be subject to a growing threat from bushfires likely aggravated by anthropogenic climate change.

A new species of Loimos MacCallum, 1917 is described more than half a century after the last species was described in 1972. The new species was collected from the gills of Rhizoprionodon taylori (Ogilby, 1915) off the Central Queensland coast, Australia, and is the first Loimos species and the first representative of the Loimoinae Price, 1936 known from Oceania. A detailed morphological description and 28S rDNA molecular sequences are provided for the new species. In the molecular phylogeny based on available 28S rDNA sequences for relevant Monocotylidae, the new species grouped together with the only other Loimos sequence available in GenBank, that of the nonugen Loimos sp. from China (OM060238), sister to Loimosina wilsoni Manter, 1944. The estimated genetic divergence between the new species and the nonugen Loimos sp. sequence is low, between 0.0452 and 0.0737, suggesting that the nonugen sequence may represent the new species, or a very closely related congener. Host identity was confirmed by comparing COI sequences with those of known sharks in GenBank. We also provide the first 12S and 16S molecular sequences for this shark species.