The Value of Small Reserves for Small Animals Illustrated With a New Species of Flightless Grasshopper

Abstract

Habitat degradation drives animal extinction, but similar patterns of habitat loss and fragmentation may have very different conservation and management outcomes for different taxonomic groups. Here, we demonstrate that a new species of flightless grasshopper maintains viable populations in small native vegetation remnants (10−100 ha) in the dramatically modified agricultural landscape of south-eastern Australia. Phylogenomic and morphological analyses delineate Keyacris bungunnia Connors sp. nov., the Murray Mallee Matchstick, as a distinct species, and extensive field surveys reveal it is restricted to remnant habitats of high agricultural value. Population genomic analyses show strong geographic structure and no evidence of strong inbreeding, even in small fragments. Based on species distribution modeling and vegetation community classification analyses, we estimate that the species’ range has contracted by 50.3% in the past 200 years. This species illustrates how small remnants are valuable for the conservation of such invertebrates.