Results

Across 378.6 hours of surveying, I recorded 1926 species. I provide an exhaustive annotated and illustrated checklist for every one of these species in my final report itself, but in summary:

Algae - 2 species. Both green algae: Cladophora glomerata, submerged in the creek, and Basicladia ramulosa growing as an epibiont on the carapace of an Eastern Long-necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis).

Bryophytes - 24 species. One hornwort (Phaeoceros carolinianus), 11 liverworts and 12 mosses. Includes 2 non-native species: the liverwort Lunularia cruciata and the moss Leptodictyum riparium.

Vascular plants - 575 species. Spread across 7 aquatic plants, 38 climbers, 109 graminoids, 11 ferns, 227 herbs, 73 shrubs, 16 subshrubs, 16 succulents and 78 trees. Natives (263 species) outnumbered by non-natives (312).

Birds - 62 species. Spread across 12 feeding guilds, and including 4 non-native species.

Mammals - 6 species. Two natives (both bats, Grey-headed Flying-fox [Pteropus poliocephalus] and an unidentified microbat), and 4 non-natives.

Amphibians - 3 species. Striped Marsh Frog (Limnodynastes peronii), Common Eastern Froglet (Crinia signifera) and Peron’s Tree Frog (Litoria peronii).

Reptiles - 13 species. Includes 2 dragons, 1 gecko, 7 skinks, 2 snakes and 1 turtle.

Fishes - 4 species. Two natives and 2 non-natives.

Nematodes - 1 species. Present as leaf galls on Angophora floribunda, created by an association between a nematode (Fergusobia sp.) and a fly (Fergusonina sp.).

Segmented worms - 5 species. Four ’earthworm’ species and 1 leech (unidentified erpobdellid).

Flatworms - 4 species. Three terrestial geoplanid flatworms, and 1 aquatic flatworm (unidentified Dalytyphloplanida).

Hydrozoans - 1 species. Hydra sp. attached to the shell of a live Physa acuta snail.

Molluscs - 12 species. Five aquatic snails (including 1 non-native, Physa acuta), 1 native terrestrial snail (Sauroconcha sheai) and 6 non-native terrestrial snails and slugs.

Arachnids - 127 species. Mostly spiders (111 species), but also includes 13 mites, 1 harvestman, 1 scorpion and 1 pseudoscorpion.

Crustaceans - 9 species. five terrestrial species (3 woodlice and 2 amphipods) and four aquatic species (1 copepod, 2 ostracods and 1 water flea).

Myriapods - 14 species. Six centipedes, 5 millipedes and 1 pseudocentipede (unidentified scutigerellid).

Entognathans - 12 species. Eleven springtails and 1 dipluran (unidentified Rhabdura).

Insects - 940 species. Spread across 25 major groups (mostly equivalent to orders), with moths (198 species), flies (168 species) and beetles (166 species) the most diverse.

Slime moulds - 3 species. One unidentifiable beyond class (Myxomycetes), along with Arcyria obvelata and Tubifera ferruginosa.

Cyanobacteria - 2 species. One found growing on wet, hard-packed clay along the creek banks, and one growing on the surface of sewage overflow.

Fungi - 113 species. Spread across 15 groups based on fruiting body morphology.

A further 59.6 hours of survey time from 11 November 2022 onwards have yielded an additional 137 species (bringing the total to 2069), including 21 new vascular plants, 9 arachnids, 102 insects and 5 fungi.