Jess Iannello submitted her MSc thesis in June 2026 entitled
A Tale of Two States: Ecological and Microbial Variation in the Guthega Skink (Liopholis guthega)
ABSTRACT | Global biodiversity loss is increasing pressure on range-restricted alpine species, particularly those in fragmented habitats with limited dispersal capacity. The Guthega skink (Liopholis guthega) is an endangered alpine specialist restricted to high-elevation habitats in Victoria and New South Wales, where isolated colonies persist within complex rock, shrub and burrow systems. This thesis investigated variation in habitat structure, burrow ecology, host morphology and skin-associated microbial communities across colonies to generate baseline ecological and microbiome data relevant to conservation management. Fieldwork was conducted during summer at long-term monitoring sites in Victoria and New South Wales. Habitat assessments recorded substrate composition, plant functional groups and vegetation height, while burrow surveys examined spatial arrangement and overhead vegetation cover. Captured skinks were assessed for snout–vent length, body mass, toe and tail condition, and skin swabs were collected for bacterial and fungal microbiome analysis using amplicon sequencing. Overall, L. guthega occupied habitats with broadly similar substrate and plant functional composition, but differed in finer-scale structural features, including vegetation height, burrow arrangement and overhead cover. Burrow systems were spatially aggregated and commonly associated with vegetation cover, suggesting that refuge placement may reflect local shelter and thermal requirements. Adult skinks from New South Wales were larger than those from Victoria, although body condition did not differ significantly once body size was accounted for. Skin microbial communities also showed spatial structure, with bacterial and fungal assemblages differing among colonies and between states. Colony-level patterns were generally stronger than state-level differences, indicating that local environmental context may shape microbial exposure and community assembly. Together, these findings suggest that conservation assessment for L. guthega should consider fine-scale habitat structure, burrow refuge characteristics and microbial baselines, rather than broad habitat categories or geographic separation alone.
