The vertebrate animals of Tasmania (mammal, birds, reptiles, frogs and fish), are of great national and international interest and an important component of Tasmania's natural heritage. Tasmania serves as a refuge for many species which, especially over the past 200 years, have become increasingly rare or extinct across the rest of the continent, such as the bettong, eastern quoll and pademelon.
FAUNA, Tasmania
|
Biological
classification | Common name
(example) | Estimated no. of
described species | Possible total
no. of species(a) |
|
| Annelida | earthworms, leeches | 90 | 150 |
| Chelicerata | spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites | 298 | 2,000 |
| Chordata |  | | |
| - Amphibia | frogs | 11 | 11 |
| - Aves | birds | 331 | 331 |
| - Mammalia | mammals | 86 | 86 |
| - Pisces | fish | 600 | 700 |
| - Reptilia | lizards, snakes | 27 | 27 |
| Cnidaria | jellyfish, anemones, hydra | 96 | 150 |
| Crustacea | crabs, shrimps, amphipods | 484 | 550 |
| Echinodermata | starfish, sea urchins | 125 | 150 |
| Entognathous Hexapoda | small insect-like animals | 92 | 400 |
| Mollusca | shellfish, snails, squid | 1,400 | 1,500 |
| Myriapoda | centipedes, millipedes | 46 | 170 |
| Nematoda | roundworms | 120 | 12,000 |
| Nematomorpha | hair worms | 2 | 2 |
| Onycophora | velvet worms | 9 | 15 |
| Platyhelminthes | flat worms | 81 | 14,000 |
| Porifera | sponges | 440 | 1,000 |
| Rotifera | rotifers (freshwater microfauna) | 133 | 1,000 |
| Uniramia | insects | 7,641 | 14,500 |
(a) Estimating the possible total number of species is difficult, and in most cases should only be considered speculative.
Source: State of the Environment Tasmania, Volume 1, 1996. |
The Threatened Tasmanian Animals Species List can be found on the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment web site at http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/SJON-58E2VD?open
This page last updated 3 January 2008
Print Page
Print All
RSS
Search this Product
