Terrestrial vertebrate fauna of the serpentinite communities near Marlborough

The terrestrial fauna assemblages living in the serpentinite landscapes near Marlborough were investigated during two 10-day systematic fauna surveys in spring 1997 and summer/autumn 1999. In total, 180 vertebrate species were recorded during the two surveys. This included two bird species of conservation significance (the southern form of the squatter pigeon (Geophaps scripta dcripta), and the cotton pygmy goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)), a probable new species of gecko (Strophurus sp.), a 'vulnerable' lizard (Paradelma orientalis (Brigalow scaly-foot)) and a range extension for Zyzomys argurus (common rock-rat) and the spotted qualil-thrush (Cinclosoma punctata). These results have implicatoins for the areas inclusion into the conservation reserve system.