Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a fungus belonging to the Phylum Chytridiomycota, Class Chytridiomycetes, Order Chytridiales, and is the highly infectious aetiological agent responsible for a potentially fatal disease, chytridiomycosis, which is currently decimating many of the world's amphibian populations. The fungus infects 2 amphibian orders (Anura and Caudata), 14 families and at least 200 species and is responsible for at least 1 species extinction. Whilst the origin of the agent and routes of transmission are being debated, it has been recognised that successful management of the disease will require effective sampling regimes and detection assays. We have developed a range of unique sampling protocols together with diagnostic assays for the detection of B. dendrobatidis in both living and deceased tadpoles and adults. Here, we formally present our data and discuss them in respect to assay sensitivity, specificity, repeatability and reproducibility. We suggest that compliance with the recommended protocols will avoid the generation of spurious results, thereby providing the international scientific and regulatory community with a set of validated procedures which will assist in the successful management of chytridiomycosis in the future.

A survey confi rmed the presence of the amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in a number of frog habitats close to major cities and towns across Tasmania.The detection of chytrid infection in some remote wetlands at high altitude locations on the Tas manian Central Plateau is of particular concern. The likely presence of chytrid infections was assessed by examining tadpoles for signs of depigmentation, thinning and asymmetry in their keratinized jaw sheaths using a hand lens. Assessing the jaw sheaths of up to 60 tadpoles combined with the application of the Taqman chytrid PCR test was a useful means of detecting the presence of ch yt ridiomycosis at each frog habitat.

In R. fuscipes from seven Victorian localities: 15 nematode and five cestode species were found; Bertiella anapolytica, Capillaria gastrica and Stammerinema suffodiax represented new host-parasite records for R. fuscipes, and the latter two were new helminth records for Australia. Capillaria praeputialis, sp. nov., and Paraustrostrongylus ratti, sp. nov., are described. Insight into the feeding habits and the interrelationships of R. fuscipes with other fauna was sought from the parasite data. One cestode (Choanotaenia ratticola) and two nematode species (Dipetalonema johnstoni and Stammerinema suffodiax) also occur in marsupials. Two helminth genera (Bertiella and Paraustrostrongylus) with extensive radiations in marsupial hosts are recorded from R.fuscipes. It is proposed that these data present further evidence for the concept of secondary transfer of parasite faunas between indigenous marsupials and rodents.

This paper presents a summary of 46 recent whale strandings involving 13 species and 497 animals, as well as six strandings not included in the previous summary by Guiler (1978). Two new species are added to the 22 previously recorded for Tasmania. Details of rescue operations, including an evaluation of current procedures, are given. Causes of the stranding phenomenon are discussed with particular reference to events in Tasmania. Results of pathological examinations are given, together with analyses of heavy metal and pesticide residue in tissues. 3:

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