Contributions An Additional Historical Record of Leadbeater's Possum, Gymnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy, prior to the 1961 Re- discovery of the Species. D.B. Lindenmayer* and J.M. Dixon** The endangered species of arboreal beencollectedin 1899fromtheBassRiver marsupial, Leadbeater's possum, area(Anon 1899)approximately60kmto Gymnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy, is the south of the Central Highlands of significant because it is the only native Victoria. Professor B. Spencer reported mammal restrictedto Victoriaand oneof that one of these specimens, a male (No the faunalemblemsofthatState. Virtually C1965) and the third to be collected, was all sightings of G. leadbeateri in the past presented to the National Museum of 30 years are from the Central Highlands Victoria by Mr. A. Coles (Anon 1899). ofVictoria within an area of60 km x 50 However, Brazenor (1932) discovered that km thathas limitsofapproximately37°20' one of the animals (No. C4378) was and 37°55'S latitude and 145°30' and collected from Koo Wee Rup Swamp, 30 146°20'E longitude (Lindenmayer et al. km to the north of the Bass River. 1991a). Some of the more major Brazenor (1932) also found a previously settlements in this region include overlooked female specimen (No. 4377) Healesville, Marysville, Warburton, from an abandoned gold miningcamp at Powelltown, Noojee and Tanjil Bren. Sunnyside, Mt. Wills in north-central All the records of G.leadbeateridating Victoria, approximately250kmnorth-east from before its re-discovery in 1961, ofthelocationsoftheotherrecordsofthe includingthose from wherethespecieswas species. Repeated surveysin theSunnyside described, were collected outside the area (Brazenor 1932, Fleay 1933) and the Central Highlands of Victoria nearby Mitta Mitta area (Brazenor 1931), (Lindenmayer et al. 1991a). This note failed to locate G. leadbeateri. Surveys in summarises the early distribution records the Bass River Valley and Koo Wee Rup ofG. leadbeaterianddescribesaspecimen regions were also unsuccessful (Nicholls previously overlooked before the re- 1911; Barrett 1942) and by the mid-20th discovery of the species in 1961. G. leadbeateri was described from two century the species was considered to be male specimens (No. C4379 and C4380) extinct (Brazenor 1950). G.leadbeateriwas collectedfromthebanksoftheBass River "re-discovered" in 1961 nearMarysville, in near Westernport, south-eastern Victoria the Central Highlands of Victoria (McCoy 1867; Dixon 1970). Kemp (1979) (Wilkinson 1961). Thespecies hadnotbeen considered that these animals may have known from this region before this time. come fromWoodleighStation, north-east Prior to 1961, five specimens of G. of Korumburra. However, the precise leadbeateriwerecollected, andallofthese A location of these specimens has not been dated from 1909 or earlier. recent resolved. examination of records in the National In the 40 years following the discovery Museum of Victoria has revealed the of the species, only two additional existence ofanother record ofthe species specimens were taken (No. C1965 and dating from before 1961. A mounted C4378). Initially, bothwerebelievedtohave specimenofG. leadbeateri(No. C3148) is presentlyheldintheNational Museum of * Centre for Resource& Environmental Studies, Victoria. The specimen was originally The Australian National University, housed in the Burke Museum in G.P.O. Box4, Canberra, ACT., 2601. Beechworth, northern Victoria. The ** Division of Natural Sciences, present administrator of the Burke Museum of Victoria, Museum, Mr. G. Gray,personallydelivered 328 Swanston St., Melbourne, Victoria, 3000. 217 Vol. 109 (6) 1992 a Contributions thespecimen forcleaning to the National Acknowledgements MuseumofVictoriain theearly 1960s(G. We thank Mr. Graeme Gray and the Gray pers.comm.). The existence of the staffof the Burke Museum for their help mountedspecimen ofG. leadbeateriinthe in compiling various aspects of the natural history collection was information presented here. acknowledged in the Report ofthe Burke Memorial Museum, dated 16 December References 1960. The specimen was contained in a Anon.(1899). FieldNaturalist'sClubofVictoria. The cabinet with numerous other mounted Victorian Naturalist 16:105-106. Brazenor, C.W. (1931). Twelve days in north-east study skins and was between 50-100 years Victoria. The Victorian Naturalist 48:165-167. old at the time of its transport to Brazenor, C.W. (1932). A re-examination of Melbourne in the early 1960's (G. Gray Gvmnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy. Australian pers. comm.). A check of the Natural BrazZeonoolro,giCs.tW.7:1(0169-5100)9.. The Mammals of Victoria. History Catalogue at the Burke Museum NationalMuseumofVictoria. (Brown, Priorand (1877-1933) as well as the records of the Anderson: Melbourne.) Museum ofVictoria has revealed noother Broom, R. (18%). On a small fossil Petaurus-like marsupial. Proceedings of the Linnean Society details of the specimen and the exact site N.S.W. 10:568-570. of collection could not be determined. Dixon.J.M.(1970).Catalogueofmammaltypes(Class Further evidence of the existence of the Mammalia)in theNational MuseumofVictoria. Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria specimen was confirmed by Dixon and 31:105-114. Huxley (1981), and by an examination of Dixon, J.M. and Huxley, L. (1981). The mammalian records kept by the former Fisheries & fauna of the north-eastern districts 3, 4 and 5. Wildlife Division ofVictoria(Department MReapmomrtaltoDetphaertmLeanntd, CNoantsieornvaaltioMnusCeouumncilo.f of Conservation & Environment, Victoria. unpublished records). Fleay, D.H. (1933). A beautiful phalanger. The During the mid-late 19th century, Victorian Naturalist 50:35-41. Beechworth was one of the major towns Hall, L.S, (1974). A recent bone deposit at Marble Arch, N.S.W. pp. 35-46. Proceedingsofthe Tenth between Sydney and Melbourne and an BiannualConference Speleological Federation. exchange of specimens may have taken Hope,J.H. (1976).Quaternary fossilmammallocalities place between Beechworth and other in south-eastern N.S.W. and eastern Victoria. (Department of Prehistory, The Australian icsenotnrlesy.9H0owkemveNr,WthoeftMotw.nWoifllBseewchhewroerGt.h KempN,atiDo.nHa.l U(n1i9v7e9r)s.itJy:ohCnanbLeerardab.e)ater (1831-88): a leadbeateriwascollectedin 1909(Brazenor naturalistinVictoria. VictorianHistoricalJournal 50:36-41. ns1p9o3ew2c)i.imnetInthefiNsraotpmoisotsnhiaeblleBMuutrshkaeetuMmtuhosefeumViomcu,tnortaienadd, LindBHciunotmccalhyiimenarst,oicn,mD.oBd.Me,.lFl.iNnigxa,annddH.wATil.ad,nltiofenM,ccoMnaMsheXrovnat,i(o19nJ9—.1P).., may be another record of G. leadbeateri case study on Leadbeater's possum, from outside the Central Highlands of GBivomgneoobgeralpihdveu18s:371l-e3a8d3b.eateri. Journal of Victoria. The only other records of G. McCoy,F.(1867).Onanewgenusofphalanger.Annals leadbeaterifrom areas northoftheCentral andMagazine ofNaturalHistory3:287-288. Highlands of Victoria are fossils from Nichoplrlosc,eedEi.nBg.s.(1A911)t.ripFiuepldthNeatuBraaslsistV'aslleCy.lubThe- pleistocene-ageddepositsin theWombeyan Victorian Naturalist 28:122. andMarbleArchCavesinN.S.W. (Broom Watson, I. (1948). Excursion to Loch. The Victorian 1896, Hall 1974) and a number ofsimilar Naturalist 65:27. depositsinthe Buchan region(Hope 1976). Wilkpinossosnu,m.H.ET.he(19V6i1c)t.oTrhiaenrNeadilsucroavleirsylo7f8:L9e7a-d1b0e2a.ter's 218 Victorian Nat.