The Distribution of the Endangered Fish Edgbaston Goby, Chlamydogobius squamigenus, and Recommendations for Management

Abstract

Surveys conducted in bore drains in the Aramac district of central-western Queensland found that species of both plants and animals endemic to Great Artesian Basin springs are capable of colonising and surviving in these artificial environments. In particular, the discovery of an endangered fish, Edgbaston goby (Chlamydogobius squamigenus) in bore drains approximately 20km from its native natural spring habitat suggests that spring-dependent species are likely to seek new habitats when migration pathways are open during flooding. Managing the declining populations of spring endemics, such as Edgbaston goby, could occur through maintaining populations in artificial springs or wetlands where the invasive eastern gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki), which is thought to competitively exclude small native fishes, can either be excluded or removed.

Springs of the Great Artesian Basin – Knowledge Gaps and Future Directions for Research, Management and Conservation

“…To understand how threatening processes may impact them, we need autecological summaries, which for many species are woefully inadequate or absent altogether (Rossini, 2020). Kerezsy (2020a) shows how an ecological account of a particular species, its distribution and its environmental requirements can be achieved. He builds on a legacy of field ecology concerning spring species (e.g.…”

“…Edgbaston (Byarri) Springs is home to a second endangered fish, the goby (Chlamydogobius squamigenus). Surveys to establish its wider distribution in and around Edgbaston Reserve produced a surprising discovery -gobies are living in bore drains at Ravenswood, approximately 20km from their natural spring habitat at Edgbaston (Kerezsy, 2020a). Kerezsy suggests that management of such an endangered species could involve a suite of unconventional methods, e.g.…”