Granite outcrops of Western Australia

Granite outcrops of Western Australia are inselbergs and monoliths made from granite that are found across much of Western Australia. Rising abruptly from the surrounding landscape they create a variety of microhabitats for plants, and provide seasonal resources and refuge for a range of animals. These areas thus have rich biodiversity and many endemic species. They are significant locations that tie in with the Aboriginal and European cultural heritage of Western Australia.

A number of animals are restricted to granite outcrops, including four species of reptile, the mygalomorph spider Teyl luculentus, and the larvae of the chironomid fly Archaeochlus. They are also an important habitat of rock-wallabies such as the black-flanked rock-wallaby, and Ctenophorus ornatus, the ornate crevice-dragon.

Pools of rainwater, known as gnammas, often form on granite outcrops. These provide habitat to around 230 aquatic invertebrates, of which at least 50 are endemic to these pools, and provide freshwater to other inhabitants and visitors.

The variable rock surfaces and soil types create niches for many plants. At least 1300 plant species occur on granite outcrops in Western Australia, many of which are endemic to these sites.

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