A fisheries expert is warning two species unique to south-west Western Australia could face extinction. The populations of the state's only two species of aestivating fish, the salamanderfish (Lepidogalaxias salamandroides) and black stripe minnow (Galaxiella nigrostriata), which burrow into the ground and become dormant over summer, have been dramatically reduced. The ability to aestivate is similar to hibernation. Murdoch University researcher Garry Ogston said the salamanderfish was the only one of its type in the country. "In terms of the ability to aestivate, they're the only two species that do that in all of Western Australia," he said. "Some other fish species do it around the world but it's not a very typical trait, it's quite a rare trait. The salamander fish itself is actually the only member of its family, lepidogalaxias, so there are no other members related to it in that family out of any other fish anywhere in the world. He said if no action was taken, both species, which were most common around Northcliffe, were likely to disappear. "They've had quite a large range reduction, they were lost from a lot of their sites which were previously historical presence records," he said. "It was in the order of around 80 per cent for salamanderfish and just over 50 per cent for black stripe minnows, which was quite alarming. Many of the wetlands home to salamanderfish and black stripe minnow are in conservation reserves, however, others border farmlands, so working with landowners regarding fertiliser run-off, and restricting access for livestock would also be key in helping protect these pools."
Source: ABC News, 15 Feb 2016
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-15/extinction-fears-for-south-west-w…
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