Threatened Species Nomination Form

for amending the list of threatened species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)

for the 2013–2014 Assessment Period

(Assessment periods run from 1 October to 30 September)

Eligibility for Listing
  1. 1.1.NAME OF NOMINATED SPECIES (OR SUBSPECIES)

Scientific name:
Common name(s): / StiphodonbirdsongWatson, 1996
Emerald Cling Goby
  1. 1.2.NOMINATED CATEGORY
Note: if unsure about which category the species should be nominated for, refer to the indicative threshold criteria at Attachment B.
Vulnerable
Under criterion 2 this species should probably be listed as Critically endangered due to its very small area of occupancy. And indeed the very small population sizes and small distribution of adults within streams is of genuine concern. Under criterion 3 it should probably be listed as endangered. However, since I have now had some time to think about the rather unusual issues associated with amphidromoussicydiinegobies in Australia, I would like to offer some insights that may or may not influence the committee’s decision regarding the suitable listing category for this species. The adults are widespread in the Pacific and are consequently unlikely to disappear off the planet any time soon. However, the adult populations in Australia are small and fragmented as a function of limited available habitat (high rainfall, steep elevation areas, but only where entirely Australian freshwater fishes are essentially absent). The larvae of these species are probably extremely widespread but we have no way of knowing this at the current time (until some genetic research is funded).
Additionally, the criteria applied here are clearly used for terrestrial, marine and freshwater fauna (and flora) and as the committee will be well aware this means freshwater fishes by nature often have a small area of occupancy. Therefore taking into account the listing status and in some cases real status of certain unlisted, wholly freshwater fish species in Australia; I would suggest that Stiphodonbirdsongmight actually be ‘vulnerable’. It faces serious threats with regard to some populations, but it is not facing anything like the problems of species such as the Red-finned Blue Eye, Murray Hardyhead or the new Pygmy Perch recently found in South Western Australia. Specifically, Stiphodonbirdsong has a relatively large extent of occurrence that is a function of the highly dispersive nature of being an amphidromous fish, and this provides some buffer to extinction.
  1. 1.3.CRITERIA UNDER WHICH THE SPECIES IS ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING
Please mark the boxes that apply by clicking them with your mouse.
Criterion 2
Criterion 3
Criterion 4 / A2. Area of occupancy estimated to be less than 10 km2
and a) severely fragmented or known to exist at a limited location
Estimated total number of mature individuals is low (<2500) and
A2 a) and b) ii, iii, iv, v.
c) ii, iii, iv.
Number of mature individuals Low (<1000)
  1. 1.4.CURRENT LISTING CATEGORY
What category is the species currently listed in under the EPBC Act? (If you are nominating the species for delisting, please complete the nomination form for delisting).
Not Listed Extinct Extinct in the wild Critically Endangered
Endangered Vulnerable Conservation dependent / Not listed
  1. 1.5.2013–2014 CONSERVATION THEME:
There is no conservation theme for the 2013–2014 Assessment Period
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  1. 1.6.CONSERVATION STATUS
What is the species’ current conservation status under State/Territory Government legislation? Does the species have specific protection under other legislation or intergovernmental arrangements?
Stiphodonbirdsongis not listed under state or federal legislation, although, it is currently being considered for listing as a no take (fisheries) species by the Queensland Government. The species is only recently known to occur in Australia (Ebner and Thuesen 2010) and its identity has been taxonomically and genetically confirmed by taxonomists Helen Larson and Philippe Keith (see Ebneret al. 2011).
Species Information
  1. 1.11.TAXONOMY
Provide any relevant detail on the species' taxonomy (e.g. naming authority, year and reference; synonyms; Family and Order) and whether or not it is conventionally accepted.
StiphodonbirdsongWatson, 1996; Subfamily Sicydiinae; Family Gobiidae; Order Perciformes; conventionally accepted.
  1. 1.12.DESCRIPTION
Provide a description of the species, including size and/or weight, social structure and dispersion (e.g. solitary/ clumped/flocks), and give a brief description of its ecological role (e.g. is it a ‘keystone’ or ‘foundation’ species, or does it play a role in ecological processes such as seed dispersal or pollination).
Note: Information on the species’ geographic distribution should be included at Q.21–25, not here.
Stiphodonbirdsong is a sexually dimorphic, small-bodied fish attaining a maximum total length of about 40 mm (XXXXXXXX, pers. obs.). Males range in coloration from a dull green to crimson. Females are white or cream with horizontal black stripes. The adult phase of the species function as bacterial/algal grazers in short coastal streams. In Australia, S. birdsongoccupies streams that comprise other amphidromous species including sicydiine gobies, and where the typical mainland fish community of large river catchments is absent or greatly reduced. (Ebneret al. 2011,Thuesenet al. 2011).
  1. 1.13.BIOLOGY
Provide information on the species' biology, including its life cycle, generation length, reproductive and feeding characteristics and behaviours.
Note: Information on the species’ geographic distribution should be included at Q.21–25, and not here.
Stiphodonbirdsong is amphidromous having a marine larval phase, and a freshwater juvenile and adult phase, including spawning and egg guarding in freshwater. Generation time is unknown but is likely in the order of 6 months to a few years. Larval duration of sicydiine gobies is generally in the order of 2-4 months. This species appears to occupy streams where other Stiphodon are absent or at least upstream of the larger bodied Stiphodonspecies. This species sometimes found in particularly shallow water (e.g. less than 30 cm). (Ebneret al. 2011, XXXXXXXXpers. obs.)
  1. 1.14.HABITAT
Describe the species’ habitats and what role they play in the species' life cycle. Include whether or not the species is associated with, or if it relies on, a listed threatened ecological community or listed threatened species?
Note: Information on the species’ geographic distribution should be included at Q.21–25, and not here.
Male S. birdsong occupy cobble-boulder habitat often at the head or foot of a pool. They graze and defend small territories of a few square metres in area. Territories include platforms or boulders from which males display. Male-male contests are based on iridescent colour display. Males court females at the entrance to an excavated burrow (situated in sand under rock). Males guard the eggs and post-hatch larvae drift downstream through creek mouths and out to the sea. These species are often found in steep, short, coastal streams that lack substantial if any estuary. Larvae require direct access to the ocean for survivorship and development. Little is known of the marine larval phase of sicydiines, except that they are capable of substantial time at sea (typically 2-4 months).(Ebner and Thuesen 2010, Ebneret al. 2011, Thuesenet al. 2011)
Transfer Information (for up-listing or down-listing of species)
Note: If the nomination is to transfer a species between categories please complete questions 15, 16 and 17. If the nomination is for a new listing please proceed to question 18. If the nomination is to delist the species, please use the delisting form.
  1. 1.15.REASON FOR THE NOMINATION FOR CATEGORY CHANGE
Please mark the boxes that apply by clicking them with your mouse.
What is the reason for the nomination:
Genuine change of status New Knowledge Mistake Other
Taxonomic change – ‘split’ newly described ‘lumped’ no longer valid
  1. 1.16.INITIAL LISTING
Describe the reasons for the species’ initial listing and if available the criteria under which it was formerly considered eligible
  1. 1.17.CHANGES IN SITUATION
With regard to the listing criteria, how have circumstances changed since the species was listed that now makes it eligible for listing in another category?
Population Size
  1. 1.18.NUMBERS
  1. a.a.What is the total number of mature individuals? How was this figure derived?
  2. b.b.Identify important populations necessary for the species’ long-term survival and recovery.

a. Numbers fluctuate within and among years but are typically less than 50 adult individuals in a catchment and often less than 10 in smaller catchments. I currently estimate the number of adults based on current knowledge and assuming that un-surveyed suitable streams host similar numbers of individuals (e.g. on the Malbon Thompson Range) to be less than 500 individuals in the Australian Wet Tropics. This is based on direct counts from a series of catchments (Ebner and Thuesen 2010, Ebneret al. 2011, Thuesenet al. 2011, XXXXand XXXX, unpubl. data). This small species may well be occupying smaller streams, and extremely shallow runs and riffles that are difficult survey. The species is sometimes found upstream of all other Stiphodonspp. in streams where they are present (XXXXXXXX, pers. Obs.).
b. Based on current knowledge, the Australian adult populations are greatest in the Cape Tribulation streams and at least one stream on the Malbon-Thompson Range (Thuesen et al. 2011, Ebner et al. 2011, XXXX and XXXX, unpubl. data). At this stage, the spatial and temporal connections between Australian and wider Indo-Pacific populations/metapopulations of Stiphodon birdsong are unknown.
  1. 1.19.POPULATION TREND
  1. a.a.What is the population trend (PAST to CURRENT) for the entire species? Is the population trended increasing or decreasing, or is the population static? If possible, include a percentage change in population size over a 10 year or 3 generation period, whichever is the longer (for example, “this species has shownan 80% decline over 23 years, which is equal to 3 generations”). Please ensure you provide relevant data sources.
  2. b.b.Is this trend likely to continue, or are there any data which indicate that there may be FUTURE changes in population size? Provide relevant data sources.
  3. c.c.Does the species undergo extreme fluctuations in the number of mature individuals?

a. No long term relevant data; therefore trend unknown.
b. Trends are likely to have been relatively stable if Stiphodonbirdsong was not widely distributed in urban (e.g. Cairns) and rural (e.g. sugar cane farm drains) streams and if Cape Tribulation has been the strong hold for this species in Australia during the post-European settlement period. Otherwise the trend was likely negative. The only relevant information is that a number of streams containing this species involve human activity including water extraction at the current time. Water extraction, especially late in the dry season, in small streams, is concerning, since habitat is likely negatively affected by reduced stream flow and connectivity to the ocean, and complete dewatering of some streams.
c. Potentially.
  1. 1.20.PROBABILITY OF EXTINCTION IN THE WILD
Has the probability of the species’ extinction in the wild over a particular timeframe been quantified? If so, identify and explain the quantitative measures or models used to generate this probability.
The potential past, current or future extinction of this species has not been given serious research attention. At this stage the distribution and abundance of the species is being mapped in the Australian Wet Tropics, and effort is currently being put into determining at risk populations primarily in association with peri-urban development (XXXXandXXXX, unpubl. data). The connectivity of populations within Australia and between Australian and other Pacific Island streams remains to be investigated, but such information is relevant to the extinction risk question.
Geographic Distribution
  1. 1.21.GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
Describe the species' known or estimated current and past global distribution (include a map if available). Does the species exist within a threatened ecological community listed under the EPBC Act?
Stiphodonbirdsong has been recorded from Papua, Papua New Guinea,Indonesia and the Australian Wet Tropics (Keith et al. 2010, Ebneret al. 2011). The Australian populations likely represent a small fraction of global numbers of S. birdsong, due to a lack of suitable habitat (steep gradient coastal streams with an absence of non-amphidromous/continental fishes) in Australia. However, much of the potential range of this species remains to be surveyed.
  1. 1.22.EXTENT OF OCCURRENCE within Australia
NOTE: The distribution of the species within Australia is assessed in two ways, the EXTENT OF OCCURRENCE and the AREA OF OCCUPANCY. The two concepts are closely related, and often confused. Therefore, before you answer this question, please see the definitions and explanatory material in Attachment A.
  1. a.a.What is the CURRENT extent of occurrence (in km2)? Explain how it was calculated and provide relevant data sources.
  2. b.b.Has the extent of occurrence changed over time (PAST to CURRENT)? If so, provide evidence.
  3. c.c.Is the extent of occurrence expected to decline in FUTURE? If so, provide evidence.
  4. d.d.Does the species’ extent of occurrence undergo extreme fluctuations? If so, provide evidence.

a) The known extent of occurrence of S. birdsongspans the narrow coastal strip, at least from Oliver Creek near Cape Tribulation to the Malbon-Thompson Range (Ebneret al. 2011). The species is typically found in less than a few hundred metres of a stream if present. Therefore the known extent of occurrence is in the order of 1000 km2.
b) Occasional new locality records ofStiphodonbirdsongin the Wet Tropics have occurred since Ebner et al (2011) was published.
c) I think the northern and southern extremes in known distribution of this species may expand with increased survey effort and might reduce with the advent of certain human impacts. The more important issue with this species relates to area of occupancy and populations near to Cairns where human impacts on streams are likely occurring currently or are likely to occur in the near future.
d) The extent of occurrence of the adult populations of this species probably fluctuates as a function of both itslife cycle (recruitment of the marine larval phase, lifespan of adults) andthe dynamics of available habitat (i.e. ephemeral streams and permanent streams (with intermittently opened stream mouths – i.e. opening to the sea)).
  1. 1.23.AREA OF OCCUPANCY
  2. 2.
NOTE: The distribution of the species within Australia is assessed in two ways, the EXTENT OF OCCURRENCE and the AREA OF OCCUPANCY. The two concepts are closely related, and often confused. Therefore, before you answer this question, please see the definitions and explanatory material in Attachment A.
  1. a.a.What is the CURRENT area of occupancy (in km2)? Explain how it was calculated and provide relevant data sources.
  2. b.b.Has the area of occupancy changed over time (PAST to CURRENT)? If so, provide evidence.
  3. c.c.Is the area of occupancy expected to decline in FUTURE? If so, provide evidence.
  4. d.d.Does the species’ area of occupancy undergo extreme fluctuations? If so, provide evidence.

a. The known area of occupancy of Stiphodonbirdsongin Australia is certainly less than 10 km2 and is less than 1 km2 depending on how it is calculated. The species is known from 5 creeks and is usually in a very short reach of 50-200 m of stream (i.e. a few pools)(with stream widths often 5-20 m). Stiphodonbirdsong is known from five creeks and sum total of less than 1 km of stream. This translates to an area of stream of less than 1 km2. Technically it is even further constrained by the fact that Stiphodonbirdsong is rarely present in riffles or fast runs, occurring mostly in pools or slow runs.
b. Unknown; possibly, in small coastal creeks in rural and urban landscapes, and where small holiday house/resorts utilize freshwater water (since S. birdsong is found in streams without significant estuaries, there are often picturesque beaches involved and henceforth resorts and caravan parks etc). But this species is only recently recorded inAustralia, so historical information is not available.
c. Yes. Increasing peri-urban development including water extraction and riparian zone clearing is likely to affect populations at Ellis Beach, Russell Headsand Yarrabahand potentially elsewhere, where small populations remain undetected.
d. Largely unknown. However, where streams have been revisited in some cases adult numbers appear to be relatively stable in certain pools/catchments but not in others. In some streams where adult S. birdsong have been observed they can be absent just a few months (or a year or so) later, or vice versa (XXXX, unpubl, data).
  1. 1.24.PRECARIOUSNESS
  1. a.a.Is the species' geographic distribution severely fragmented, or known to exist at a limited number of locations?
  2. b.b.Is the area, extent and/or quality of the species' habitat in continuing decline (observed / inferred / projected)?
  3. c.c.Is the number of locations or subpopulations in continuing decline (observed / inferred / projected)?
  4. d.d.Are there extreme fluctuations in the number of locations or subpopulations of this species?
Please ensure that you provide evidence and appropriate references.
a. Stiphodonbirdsong has a highly fragmented distribution in Australia but this in itself is not necessarily a cause for concern since amphidromoussicydiine gobies access streams via a marine larval phase and because short coastal streams are not always open to the sea. Currently this species is known from five sites in Australia.
b. A number of the known populations of adult S. birdsong in the Australian Wet Tropics are in peri-urban or rural landscapes where human development or activity poses risk (e.g. water extraction, spread of invasive species, land and stream clearing). Water extraction occurs in some of the creeks where Stiphodonbirdsongexists. Even though much of this extraction would be considered small scale (attracts limited if any government monitoring or regulation) it may be significant relative to the overall base flow of these small creeks.
c. unknown
d. From the little data collected to date, there can be large fluctuation within and among years in some of the larger populations. It is not known of this is a function of a short life span.
(Ebneret al. 2011)
  1. 1.25.PROTECTED AREAS
Is the species protected within the reserve system (e.g. national parks, Indigenous Protected Areas, or other conservation estates, private land covenants, etc.)? If so, which populations?Which reserves are actively managed for this species? Give details.
Populations of S. birdsong exist within National Parks (e.g. the Daintree National Park), and indigenous protected areas on the Malbon-Thompson Range. However, populations also exist in or in association with peri-urban and tourism (resorts, caravan parks) areas (Ellis Beach, Turtle Creek). None of the S. birdsong populations are actively managed to protect the species.