parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...
parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...
parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...
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Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79<br />
Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study<br />
Depth and sediment affect the distribution of benthic invertebrates along the Victorian coast.<br />
According to Coleman et al. (2007) and Heislers and Parry (2007) species richness was<br />
greater at 40 metres compared to 10 or 20 metres depth. Their coastal survey of benthic<br />
fauna included the benthos of Point Hicks MNP. One transect off Point Hicks was sampled<br />
with two 0.1 m 2 grab samples in 10, 20 and 40 m of water depth. The sediment ranged from<br />
fine sand to coarse sand with shells (Heislers and Parry 2007). The grab samples contained<br />
between 100 to 1130 individuals and 16 to 71 species (Heislers and Parry 2007).<br />
Crustaceans were the dominant taxa in each depth class, representing more than half of the<br />
most abundant families. The majority of these were amphipods and cumaceans, while<br />
isopods and ostracods were also common. Polychaetes represented the bulk of the<br />
remaining families while molluscs were poorly represented. Four families were common in all<br />
depth classes, including one amphipod family (Phoxocephalidae), and three polychaete<br />
families (Spionidae, Syllidae and Paraonidae). The invasive New Zealand screw shell,<br />
Maoricolpus roseus, was identified in very high densities at 40 m depth in the Pt Hicks MNP<br />
(Heislers and Parry 2007). Where this invasive species was most abundant, the diversity of<br />
infauna was reduced, suggesting that this exotic species poses a serious threat to the high<br />
diversity of infauna that is characteristic of much of Bass Strait (Heislers and Parry 2007).<br />
Trawl surveys conducted off Point Hicks indicate that the dominant fish species on subtidal<br />
soft sediment are school whiting Sillago flindersi, sparsely spotted stingaree Urolophus<br />
paucimaculatus, piked dog shark Squalus megalops, jack mackerel Trachurus declivis,<br />
round snouted gurnard Lepidotrigla mulhalli, red rock cod Scorpaena papillosus and cocky<br />
gurnard Lepidotrigla vanessa (Plummer et al. 2003). Other important species include banded<br />
stingaree Urolophus cruciatus (Figure 23), short finned gurnard, scaber leatherjacket Parika<br />
scaber and gurnard perch Neosebastes scorpaenoides (Plummer et al. 2003).<br />
Nearby inshore areas have been identified in recreational fishing guides as hosting gummy<br />
sharks Mustelus antarcticus, Australian salmon Arripis trutta and tailor Pomatomus saltatrix<br />
(Plummer et al. 2003). Newborn pups of gummy sharks inhabit shallow inshore areas and<br />
there is some evidence to suggest that the inshore sandy areas east of Wilsons Promontory,<br />
including Point Hicks MNP, may be important feeding areas for gummy shark pups<br />
(Plummer et al. 2003). The commercial catch data also indicates that the general area<br />
provides suitable habitat for gummy sharks, saw sharks and elephant sharks Callorhinchus<br />
milii (Plummer et al. 2003). These shark species are all demersal and so the subtidal soft<br />
sediment environment within and adjacent to Point Hicks MNP may provide an important<br />
feeding ground for these species (Plummer et al. 2003).<br />
Figure 23. Banded stingaree Urolophus cruciatus in Point Hicks Marine National Park. Photo by Mark<br />
Norman Museum of Victoria.<br />
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