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Mount Donna Buang Wingless Stonefly (Riekoperla darlingtoni)

The Mount Donna Buang Wingless Stonefly is a wingless stonefly known only from the Mount Donna Buang area in Victoria. It depends on small, ephemeral freshwater springs and trickles in montane forest, making these waterways and their surrounding vegetation important when planning works.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Critically endangered.

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Critically endangered.

Seasonal planning

The main breeding season is July to November around Mount Donna Buang, although timing varies with seasonal rainfall.

Seasonal evidence: From published sources for this species.

Timing varies between sites and years.

  • Breeding season: The main breeding season is July to November around Mount Donna Buang, although timing varies with seasonal rainfall.

Identification: Appearance

This cryptic, wingless stonefly has a body length of about 12 mm. It is the only wingless stonefly species found in Victoria.

This cryptic, wingless stonefly has a body length of about 12 mm. It is the only wingless stonefly species found in Victoria.

Identification: Confirming identity

Confirm the identity of any suspected record with a specialist and a photograph or voucher, as required by the relevant permit.

Distribution: Known range

The species is known only from the vicinity of Mount Donna Buang in the Yarra Ranges of Victoria. Recent surveys have recorded multiple localities around the mountain, including sites west and south-east of the summit.

The species is known only from the vicinity of Mount Donna Buang in the Yarra Ranges of Victoria. Recent surveys have recorded multiple localities around the mountain, including sites west and south-east of the summit.

Distribution: National mapping

The Commonwealth species distribution model (SNES) maps where the species or its habitat is known, likely or may occur. Use it with local records and site inspection.

Habitat: Habitat

It inhabits small, ephemeral headwater springs and trickles in wet forest, including forest dominated by Alpine Ash and Shining Gum, with patches of cool temperate rainforest. Known sites are generally above 900 m, and the aquatic nymphs live under stones and in silty gravel in drainage lines.

It inhabits small, ephemeral headwater springs and trickles in wet forest, including forest dominated by Alpine Ash and Shining Gum, with patches of cool temperate rainforest. Known sites are generally above 900 m, and the aquatic nymphs live under stones and in silty gravel in drainage lines.

Foraging habitat: Diet

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Breeding habitat: Breeding

The aquatic nymph stage takes about three years to develop. When springs dry during summer, nymphs can dig into moist ground.

The aquatic nymph stage takes about three years to develop. When springs dry during summer, nymphs can dig into moist ground.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter

Wingless adults are found close to streams, often within rolled pieces of ash bark in low vegetation. Nymphs shelter under stones and in silty gravel in drainage lines.

Wingless adults are found close to streams, often within rolled pieces of ash bark in low vegetation. Nymphs shelter under stones and in silty gravel in drainage lines.

Threats: Threats

The species is highly sensitive to water pollution, sedimentation and habitat alteration. Its dependence on high-quality freshwater habitat makes changes to the springs and trickles a concern.

The species is highly sensitive to water pollution, sedimentation and habitat alteration. Its dependence on high-quality freshwater habitat makes changes to the springs and trickles a concern.

Threats: Works risk

Works that alter its spring and trickle habitats, or introduce water pollution or sedimentation, could harm the species. Care is particularly important around small headwater flows and their surrounding forest vegetation.

Survey methodology: 1. Species-specific methods

Use methods consistent with the Commonwealth survey guidelines and engage a specialist with the right permits.

Environmental DNA surveys have detected the species at localities west and south-east of Mount Donna Buang. Further targeted surveys have been recommended to clarify its full distribution.

Survey methodology: 2. Commonwealth guidance

For EPBC Act referrals, survey effort and methods should be consistent with the on-ground surveys and data for referred actions under the EPBC Act, read with the Significant impact guidelines 1.1.

Survey methodology: 3. Limits

A non-detection is not proof of absence. Match survey timing to the species and season, and record effort.

Vegetation associations: Rainforest or vine thicket

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

It inhabits small, ephemeral headwater springs and trickles in wet forest, including forest dominated by Alpine Ash and Shining Gum, with patches of cool temperate rainforest.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: VIC.

Habitat use: general

Vegetation associations: Eucalypt forest

It inhabits small, ephemeral headwater springs and trickles in wet forest, including forest dominated by Alpine Ash and Shining Gum, with patches of cool temperate rainforest.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: VIC.

Habitat use: general

Ecosystem associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific ecosystem association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Soil and substrate associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific soil association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Water and wetland associations: Water-associated habitat mentioned in profile

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

Wingless adults are found close to streams, often within rolled pieces of ash bark in low vegetation.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: VIC.

Habitat use: sheltering

Fauna records and mapped habitat: Not yet analysed

Record locations can be overlaid with mapping, but record frequency alone does not measure habitat preference. No species is excluded from desktop assessments by this analysis.

No quality-controlled record-to-map analysis has been completed for this species. The existing generalised distribution dots and indicative range polygons have not been treated as precise occurrence coordinates.

A defensible run needs dated, independently attributable records, coordinate uncertainty, duplicate and captive-record checks, layer versions and regional scope. Preference and absence require additional survey-effort and detection evidence.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: No supported exclusion recorded

Not recorded is not the same as cannot occur. Low suitability, resident habitat, breeding habitat and occasional movement are different conclusions.

This library has not established a vegetation, ecosystem or soil-type exclusion for this species. This does not mean all habitat is suitable; the evidence needed to justify an exclusion has not been assembled.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: Before using a negative association

  • Confirm the taxon, geographic region, life stage and habitat function covered by the evidence.
  • Check survey methods, season, repeated effort and detectability before interpreting non-detection.
  • Investigate credible contradictory records and microhabitats absent from broad mapping.
  • Do not convert a missing map class, low record count or failed data request into species absence.

Before disturbance: 1. Desktop and approvals

Confirm whether the project could affect the species before works begin.

Check national mapping, state records and recent surveys for the site. An action likely to have a significant impact on this nationally listed species needs EPBC Act referral, and state permits apply where it is state listed.

Before disturbance: 2. Plan to avoid

Design the footprint, timing and access to avoid known or likely habitat, and brief crews on what to look for and who to call.

During disturbance: 1. Controls

Keep works inside the approved footprint and conditions.

Fence or mark habitat to be retained and keep machinery, stockpiles and spoil out of it.

During disturbance: 2. Stop and report

If the species is found unexpectedly, stop work at that spot and contact the project ecologist and the relevant agency.

After disturbance: 1. Records

Record outcomes.

Record sightings, habitat lost or retained and any injury or death, and report them under the approval conditions.

Rehabilitation: 1. Restore

Restore disturbed habitat where possible.

Reinstate disturbed ground with local species, return logs, rocks and litter, and control weeds and erosion until the site is stable.

Sources