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 20 km 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 declin-ing 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.