SYDNEY, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers have revealed unexpected genetic diversity in Western Australia's common brushtail possum, identifying a previously unrecognized subspecies.
Possums in Western Australia's Pilbara and Mid-West regions differ genetically from those in the South West, revealing three distinct subspecies across the state, up from the previously known two, according to a press release from the Edith Cowan University (ECU) on Tuesday.
Surprisingly, the Pilbara and Mid-West possums are genetically closer to eastern Australian populations, including a subspecies thought to be locally extinct in central Australia, said ECU PhD student Shelby Middleton who conducted the study.
Brushtail possums, native nocturnal marsupials in Australia, face population declines in some regions, making these findings critical for conservation, according to the study published in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
The research, conducted with the Western Australian Museum and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), highlights the importance of museum specimens in uncovering biodiversity.
"Now we have a better understanding of the relationships within the species, we can be better informed when we're sourcing the animals for translocation," Middleton said.
One of Middleton's supervisors, Linette Umbrello of DBCA, noted that the updated genetic insights provide essential guidance for managing uncommon possum populations across Western Australia. ■
