From slime moulds to sea eagles, a BioBlitz biodiversity survey by citizen scientists has announced a haul of at least 375 species over just three days in the Tarkine region of north-west Tasmania, including a "monster" freshwater crayfish.
Releasing the figures from the 2017 survey for the first time, Tarkine BioBlitz science coordinator Nick Fitzgerald said the species count will probably double as experts continue to work on the samples collected.
"It can take months to sort and identify hundreds of samples under the microscope. In highly diverse groups like invertebrates and mosses, we expect some interesting discoveries," Mr Fitzgerald said.
"It all adds up to a richer, more detailed picture of the biodiversity in this corner of Tasmania."
In just one group of invertebrates — moths — 79 species were found across only a few sites.
The remoteness of the survey area means the potential to discover new species is quite high, according to environmental scientist Peter McQuillan from the University of Tasmania.
"Remote parts of Tasmania are very much a biological frontier," Dr McQuillan said.
"Even among quite common groups like moths and beetles, you can find lots of new species."
Three years of the Tarkine BioBlitz have now logged a total of more than 1,000 records of animal and plant species, many of them new for the region and some new to science.
The annual BioBlitz is organised by the Bob Brown Foundation, an environmental group campaigning for the protection of the Tarkine region as a national park.
"Getting out in the bush with a bunch of keen-eyed naturalists is a great way to discover all sorts of organisms," Mr Fitzgerald said.
"Many usually go unnoticed — the tiny, short-lived, nocturnal and cryptic things."
World's largest freshwater crayfish lacking reserve
One of the highlights of the 2017 BioBlitz was the discovery of an uncommonly large, giant Tasmanian freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi), known locally as a "lobster".
The encounter features in this week's episode of 'Off Track' on ABC RN.
"That's as big as you'll see. He's an absolute monster," said aquatic ecologist and lobster expert Todd Walsh, as he excitedly hauled his catch from a Tarkine river.
Weighing more than 3 kilograms, with claws longer than his hands, the crayfish is the second largest Mr Walsh has found in decades of research. The species is endemic to Tasmania and listed in the state as vulnerable.
"This is the world's largest freshwater invertebrate," Mr Walsh said.
"You've got the Amazon, the Nile, the Mississippi, you've got all these magnificent river systems and this little pocket of northern Tasmania holds the world's biggest invertebrate in these systems.
"Tassie should be more proud of this."
More effort must be made to safeguard the endangered, outsized crustacean, he added.
"For 20 years, the crayfish has been listed as a priority species under the Regional Forest Agreement, we've had governments trumpet how important it is, and yet not one of them has put a hectare aside specifically for this animal," Mr Walsh said.
His research has identified key areas of river catchments, important for crayfish habitat, that should be free of logging and mining impacts and protected as "lobster reserves".
"We've located 30,000 hectares that basically if they protected them, you could say, 'Yep, we've sorted this animal out for evermore'," he said.
Mark Horstman is a freelance journalist and a member of the board of the Bob Brown Foundation
