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gondwanic affinities

Gondwanaland (a.k.a. Gondwana), was once the southern part of the great pre-Cambrian landmass, Pangaea. Gondwana's existence would explain the high degree of biological similarity present amongst the contemporary biota of Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, New Caledonia, Madagascar and South Africa.

Gondwanic affinities between these countries are especially well expressed in their biologically rich rainforest ecosystems. Rainforests cover 41% of the Tarkine Wilderness and Myrtle-Beech (Nothofagus cunninghamii) is the dominant rainforest tree of the region. The presence of Nothofagus is one of the most obvious clues to the Gondwanic origin of Tasmania - the genus is also represented elsewhere in Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Chile and Argentina (Veblin et al 1996).

A group of marsupial mammals, the dasyurids, have Gondwanic connections to the South American opossum family, Didelphidae. Tarkine Wilderness dasyurids include the Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), Eastern Quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus), Spotted-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus), Swamp Antechinus (Antechinus minimus minimus), and Dusky Antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii swansonii).

Some of the strongest expressions of Gondwanic links occur amongst the Tarkine's invertebrates. The Tasmanian Cave Spider (Hickmania troglodytes) is the only representative species of the family Hickmaniidae known outside of Chile (Mesibov 1992).

The distribution of Parastacidae, or freshwater crayfish, throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South America and Madagascar indicates strong Gondwanic foundations for this family of crustaceans. The Tarkine Wilderness is a stronghold for the endemic Giant Freshwater Crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi), - the first crustacean to be added to Australia's threatened species list, and the largest freshwater crustacean in the world.

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