Species discovery

During my survey I observed a number of undescribed species, including a native mushroom (Agaricus sp.), multiple invertebrates (e.g., grasshoppers, spiders), and two phrase name plant species, Arthropodium sp. South-east Highlands (N.G.Walsh 811) Vic. Herbarium and Alternanthera sp. A Flora of New South Wales (M.Gray 5187) J.Palmer. One of these cases, however, was particularly notable.

In late March 2021, I found a single silverfish under a fallen Melaleuca decora bark sheet at the southwestern corner of the southern exotic grassland. It was quite active, running among bark and stick litter, and likely only came to the surface after the heavy rains and flooding in mid to late March 2021. After a family identification from entomologist Nikola Szucsich on iNaturalist, I sent my photos to researcher/expert Graeme Smith, and he noted:

“There is only a single species of non-ateluriinae Nicoletiidae described from NSW. It was collected in caves at Bungonia near Goulburn (Subtrinemura anemonae (Smith) of the subfamily Subnicoletiinae). While I can’t say for sure I suspect your specimen represents an undescribed species close to S. anemonae. Your photos are good enough to show that it has a process on the pedicel of the antennae like one of those on S. anemonae but not good enough for me to see the other two. I thought it might also have the strange processes on the cerci but not with any confidence. If you do find any more I’d love to get a specimen or several. Even if you don’t manage to find a male, we don’t have DNA for any species of Subtrinemura so try to collect in 100% ethanol.”

I went back four days later and, very fortunately, managed to find a male at the same spot, collected it into ethanol, and sent it to Graeme, who confirmed that it was an undescribed species:

The species has now been described as Subtrinemura epigea!.