The fauna of Australia consists of a large variety of animals; some 46% of birds, 69% of mammals, 94% of amphibians, and 93% of reptiles that inhabit the continent are endemic to it. This high level of endemism can be attributed to the continent's long geographic isolation, tectonic stability, and the effects of a unique pattern of climate change on the soil and flora over geological time. A unique feature of Australia's fauna is the relative scarcity of native placental mammals. Consequently, the marsupials – a group of mammals that raise their young in a pouch, including the macropods, possums and dasyuromorphs – occupy many of the ecological niches placental animals occupy elsewhere in the world. Australia is home to two of the five known extant species of monotremes and has numerous venomous species, which include the platypus, spiders, scorpions, octopus, jellyfish, molluscs, stonefish, and stingrays. Uniquely, Australia has more venomous than non-venomous species of snakes.
Lake Torrens National Park is a protected area located in South Australia about 345 kilometres north of the Adelaide city centre. Material published by the national park's manager reports that:
The stark wilderness and the salt lake that stretches 250km in length make up the Lake Torrens National Park. Lake Torrens is usually a dry salt flat. It has only been filled with water once in the past 150 years. Thunderstorms occasionally provide a small amount of water in the lake, when this occurs the area attracts a variety of birdlife. The park's landscape provides opportunities for photography and studying geology.
Jeana is a genus of moths of the family Hepialidae. There are two described species, both endemic to Australia:
Coenobita perlatus is a species of terrestrial hermit crab. It is known as the strawberry hermit crab because of its reddish-orange colours. It is a widespread scavenger across the Indo-Pacific, and wild-caught specimens are traded to hobby aquarists.
Ceinidae is a family of amphipods. Until 1972, they were considered part of the family Phliantidae. Some genera previously included in this family have been transferred to the family Hyalidae.
Naxia tumida, the little seaweed crab, dresser crab, or decorator crab, is a small crab of the family Majidae that is common in rocky intertidal and subtidal areas on the temperate coasts of Australia, including parts of Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. It is usually found covered in seaweed that acts as camouflage, attached to the hooks on its shell. It attaches the algae or seaweed with a secretion that becomes adhesive when hardened.
Christinus guentheri is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae (geckos). The species is endemic to two Australian islands, Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.
Echinodillo is a genus of woodlice in the family Armadillidae. It contains two species.
A woodlouse is any crustacean belonging to the suborder Oniscidea within the order Isopoda. They get their name from often being found in old wood, and from louse, a parasitic insect, although woodlice are neither parasitic nor insects.
Innamincka Regional Reserve is a protected area located in the north-east of South Australia which includes the town of Innamincka. The regional reserve was proclaimed on 22 December 1988 under National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 over a parcel of land previously part of the Innamincka Pastoral Lease to recognise it as "a place of major conservation importance" whilst permitting ongoing mining and agricultural activity. It was the first "multiple use reserve to be administered by a nature conservation agency" to be declared in South Australia under the category of regional reserve provided for in the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. It is partly located on land that was included on the List of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention under the name Coongie Lakes in 1987. In 2005, a parcel of land was excised from the regional reserve to create the national park now known as Malkumba-Coongie Lakes National Park. It also includes the Innamincka/Cooper Creek state heritage area. The regional reserve is classified as an IUCN Category VI protected area.
Paguristes frontalis is a hermit crab, in the family Diogenidae. P. frontalis is left-handed. Its left hand is either larger or equal in size with the right. Paguristes frontalis lives in the waters of South Australia to Western Australia. They can go in water as shallow as 8 metres. The estimated length of P. frontalis is 8 centimetres. P. frontalis can have the ability to carry a shell 15 cm long. Paguristes frontalis commonly preys on dead animals. At other times, P. frontalis may be able to catch other crabs and other living prey.
Isturgia penthearia, the penthearia moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in Australia.
Chelisochidae is a family of earwigs whose members are commonly known as black earwigs. The family contains a total of approximately 96 species, spread across sixteen genera in three subfamilies.
Labiduridae, whose members are known commonly as striped earwigs, is a relatively large family of earwigs in the suborder Neodermaptera.
Austrosynthemis is a monotypic genus of dragonfly in the family Synthemistidae. Its single species, Austrosynthemis cyanitincta, more commonly known as the turquoise tigertail, is found in south-western Australia, where it inhabits streams.
Goose Island Conservation Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia, located on Goose Island and other islets in the vicinity of Wardang Island in Spencer Gulf. The constituent islands are located within 5 kilometres to 12 kilometres in the sector between west and north west of Port Victoria.
The Australian Faunal Directory (AFD) is an online catalogue of taxonomic and biological information on all animal species known to occur within Australia. It is a program of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water of the Government of Australia. By May 12, 2021, the Australian Faunal Directory has collected information about 126,442 species and subspecies. It includes the data from the discontinued Zoological Catalogue of Australia and is regularly updated. Started in the 1980s, it set a goal to compile a "list of all Australian fauna including terrestrial vertebrates, ants and marine fauna" and create an "Australian biotaxonomic information system". This important electronic key and educative package enables faster and orderly identification of Australian centipede species.
Urodacus yaschenkoi, also known as the inland scorpion or the desert scorpion, is a species of scorpion belonging to the family Urodacidae. It is native to central Australia. It is also referred as the desert robust scorpion, because of its robust black colour and a long tail lined with a deadly hook.
The greater black whipsnake is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae.
The yellow-naped snake, also known commonly as Barnard's snake, is a small species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is native to northeastern Australia.
