In 1887, Australian Museum scientists A pioneering expedition was undertakenLord Howe Island, an isolated area off the east coast Australia’s. They made many other discoveries including “a large…” Blatta” – a type of Cockroach – under a decaying log.
Later, it was described as Panesthia lataLord Howe Island wood-feeding moth. P. lataThe island’s nutrient recycling was a major focus of the species’ abundance. It is also a food source for many birds.
Alas! 1918 The island was visited by ratsA shipwreck. The late 20th century. P. lataIt was impossible to find it despite multiple decades of searching. It was believed that the rat predation caused its disappearance.
It could have been found in an unknown part of the island.
Relocate the cockroach to its rightful place
In 2019, the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment implemented the last stage of its highly successful, though sometimes controversial, program. rat eradication programOn the island.
I became more interested in biology after this experience, along with my colleagues from NSW DPE and Lord Howe Island Museum, Chau Chakwing Museum, CSIRO’s Australian National Insect Collection, Chau Chakwing Museum, and the University of Melbourne. P. lataIt is possible to repopulate the island using this insect.
It was inevitable because in 2001, P. lataThe discovery was made on Blackburn Island and Roach Island, two small islands located near Lord Howe Island.
But wait, a second: Why would we want cockroaches to be put back on a beautiful island, after their seemingly fortuitous extermination.
Well, P. lataIt is charming and charismatic and, believe it not, very cute. He doesn’t want to go into anyone’s homes. It is about 4 cm (1.6 inches) in length and has no wings. It hides in the forest where it burrows into soil to eat leaf litter and rotting wood at night.
Fortuitous rocks
We received funding from Australia Pacific Science Foundation in July to study the genetics and ecology. P. lataFrom Blackburn and Roach Islands. Maxim Adams (an honors student in the University of Sydney’s laboratory) and Nicholas Carlile (NSW DPE) headed to Lord Howe Island, to begin their study.
Bad weather kept them from visiting Blackburn Island so they decided that Lord Howe Island might be a good option. P. lataBefore the rats arrived.
They decided to walk to a remote area on the island’s north coast and turn over some rocks. Literally, the first rock they examined revealed a small group of cockroaches. I was scheduled to be with them three days later but they called me that evening with great excitement to tell me the news.
They did find a few other birds within a few meters of the same fig trees, but more extensive research over the next few day revealed no others in the surrounding areas or any other part of the island.
Their neighbors are different
On our return to Sydney we did some DNA testing and discovered that the Lord Howe Island population had been rediscovered. This was in contrast with the Roach and Blackburn islands.
The rodent baiting may have helped the population survive. Recent decades saw the baiting of rodents in the area to aid in the survival of other threatened species.
Now, we are conducting more detailed DNA studies. This includes historical museum samples from the late 19th century and early 20th century, as well as samples from Ball’s Pyramid located approximately 20 km (12 miles) southeast from Lord Howe Island. These samples were collected by Dick Smith during the 1960s.
We hope to find out the relationship between the rediscovered and original populations, as well as those from the outer islands. We also want to discover the evolutionary history and origins. P. lata.
The Lord Howe Island Group can be found here UNESCO world heritage siteThis island is of great natural significance worldwide and is home more than 100 plant species that can only be found here, as well as many rare and endangered animal species. Many of these species’ biology, especially the invertebrates, is still unknown.
We hope that our use of DNA technology will enable us to establish P. lataThis model can be used to understand several million years worth of evolution on Lord Howe Island archipelago and help to re-establish this charismatic, shy creature in its homeland.
Nathan LoAssociate Professor School of Biological Sciences University of Sydney
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