Abstract
The ‘woylie’ (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) is a critically endangered potoroid marsupial from the southwest of Western Australia that has been the focus of conservation efforts over the past few decades. Investigations have focused on methods to improve the conservation of the species, including genetic sampling and mapping to better understand their apparent intraspecific diversity and distribution. Most studies have focused on genetic tools to understand the taxon. However, few studies have used subfossil specimens to inform conservation strategies. Apparently genetically distinct subfossil specimens of woylies on the Nullarbor have previously been proposed to represent a new species. In this investigation we use craniodental morphological characters to assess the validity of this species, as well as review the Bettongia penicillata complex as a whole. This investigation used subfossil, modern and historical specimens from museum collections to ensure the broadest coverage for the taxon. This investigation supports the validity of the previously genetically defined Nullarbor species based on unique morphological characters, which is described and named herein as Bettongia haoucharae sp. nov. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that B. p. ogilbyi should be given full species status. After a thorough redescription of craniodental and some postcranial elements, we established (i) Bettongia ogilbyi ogilbyi comb. nov., (ii) an additional two new subspecies, and (iii) a previously synonymised subspecies within the B. penicillata complex. These results highlight the need for a combined approach to taxonomy, with most of the genetic work on B. penicillata in recent years being restricted to living individuals. Our results reveal that B. penicillata can be considered extinct, B. o. ogilbyi is critically endangered with a single individual in the Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and a wild population in the Tutanning Nature Reserve remaining, B. o. sylvatica is critically endangered but recovering as it has been translocated throughout Australia, and B. o. francisca, and B. o. odontoploica are extinct. Future taxonomic work should aim to combine morphology and molecular work using subfossil, modern and historical specimens for a complete understanding of species.
