Download reptiles of the southern brigalow belt

REPTILES OF THE SOUTHERN BRIGALOW BELT
Steve Wilson
April 2003
First published in 2003 by WWF Australia.
© WWF Australia 2003. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 1-875941-43-6
WWF Australia Guide: 03/03
Photography:
Steve Wilson
Design/Layout:
Design Farm
Printed and Bound:
The Brisbane Printing Place
Editing:
Wendy Drury (Lambert and Rehbein Pty Ltd), Keryn Hyslop (TSN) and
Sonya Lesic (WWF Australia).
Acknowledgements:
This booklet was produced by the Threatened Species Network, a community-based
program of the Commonwealth Government’s Natural Heritage Trust and WWF Australia.
The author and editors would like to thank the Southern Brigalow Belt Reptile Recovery
Team, and in particular the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for the significant amount
of support it provided. We are also grateful for the continual interest from the Lake
Broadwater Natural History Association, Dalby Wildlife Preservation Society, Greening
Australia Queensland and Chinchilla Field Naturalists Club. Particularly, we would like to
thank Rod and Jenny Keys and Warrick and Diane Hill from Meandarra for their hospitality
and enthusiasm in the pursuit of further knowledge on Brigalow Belt reptiles.
North Region Office
WWF Australia
Level 2, 490 Upper Edward Street, Spring Hill
PO Box 710
Spring Hill, QLD, Australia 4004
Tel:
+617-3839-2677
Fax:
+617-3839-2633
Head Office
WWF Australia
GPO Box 528
Sydney, NSW, Australia 2001
Tel:
+612-9281-5515
Fax:
+612-9281-1060
[email protected]
For copies of this report or a full list of WWF Australia publications on a wide range of conservation issues, please
contact us on [email protected] or call (02) 9281 5515.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ..................................................................2
Aim and scope of this publication
Who is this publication for?
The Southern Brigalow Belt ........................................3
Where is the Southern Brigalow Belt?
A hotspot for reptiles
It’s All in the Eye of the Beholder ...............................5
What is brigalow?
The brigalow community
Changing Face of the Land ........................................7
Threats
What can we do?
Description of Reptiles ..............................................11
Reptile identification tips
Conservation status
Lizards
14
Dragons
14
Flap-footed lizards
16
Geckos
18
Goannas
20
Skinks
23
Snakes
28
Blind snakes
28
Pythons
28
Venomous snakes
30
References and Selected Reading...........................37
Appendix I: Complete Checklist of
Southern Brigalow Belt Reptiles ......38
Appendix II: Reptile Field Sighting Sheet .............40
Useful Contacts .........................................................41
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 1
INTRODUCTION
Aim and scope of this publication
There are more than 130 species of reptiles found in the
Southern Brigalow Belt. This booklet features only a
small selection of these, chosen to illustrate the
common, those of ‘conservation concern’ and the
potentially dangerous.
The booklet makes no attempt to provide descriptions of
all the reptiles found in the region and is not intended to
replace more comprehensive guides such as those listed
in the selected reading section of this publication. It is,
however, intended to engage, to educate and to
engender respect for a group of native animals all too
often overlooked, or regarded as somehow less
important, than the more charismatic furred and
feathered fauna.
What’s more, this booklet strives to illustrate the
importance of the Southern Brigalow Belt and the plant
communities that these resilient reptiles and other
fascinating creatures call home, no matter how small and
encroached these remnants may be.
Who is this publication for?
This booklet serves as an introduction to the reptiles of
the Southern Brigalow Belt and is intended to be both an
easy to use identification guide and an educational
resource for:
• Local residents and landholders;
• Naturalists and other community groups;
• Local reptile enthusiasts and aspiring naturalists;
• Natural resource management extension officers;
• Local schools;
• Local councils;
• Environment organisations; and
• Government agencies.
Page 2
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
THE SOUTHERN BRIGALOW BELT
Where is the Southern Brigalow Belt?
Queensland’s Southern Brigalow Belt stretches from
Rockhampton in Queensland to the border of New
South Wales. The region encompasses much of the
country that receives 500-750 mm rainfall per annum.
The Southern Brigalow Belt has been extensively cleared
over the last 200 years. In fact, more than 13 million
hectares (60%) of the original vegetation has been
cleared (Accad et al, 2001). As a result, vegetation
communities, plants and animals, including several
species of reptiles, have become threatened. Many of
these reptiles are endemic, which means they occur
nowhere else in the world.
Queensland’s Southern
Brigalow Belt
Map courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency
(Toowoomba Office).
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 3
A hotspot for reptiles
The Southern Brigalow Belt is a hotspot for reptiles.
All five of Australia’s lizard families, four of the six snake
families, and one of the four turtle families are
represented in the Southern Brigalow Belt. Those
missing are all confined to marine habitats and tropical
freshwater environments.
Many of the reptiles, including the eastern striped skink
and Burton’s snake lizard, are widespread across
Australia. Others that inhabit the dry forests, such as the
golden-tailed gecko, Dunmall’s snake and brigalow
scaly-foot, are regional endemics (meaning that the
species only occurs in the Southern Brigalow Belt).
The Southern Brigalow Belt is a meeting place where
fauna and flora adapted to different climates come
together. Species such as the mulga snake, western
brown snake and woma that are adapted to dry to arid
environments, and that cover vast tracts from the west
coast to the interior meet with the denizens of the humid
east coast, such as pink-tongued skinks, green tree
snakes and freshwater snakes.
Page 4
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
IT’S ALL IN THE EYE OF THE
BEHOLDER
What is brigalow?
The term ‘brigalow’ has a number of meanings.
For example, brigalow can refer to a species of acacia
(Acacia harpophylla), or it can mean an ecological
community, dominated by Acacia harpophylla and often
including other species such as belah (Casuarina
cristata), wilga (Geijera parviflora) and false sandalwood
(Eremophila mitchellii). The term ‘brigalow’ has also been
used to describe the region in Australia where these
species and ecological communities occur, thus giving
rise to the term ‘Brigalow Belt’.
The brigalow community
A patch of brigalow scrub can mean many things,
depending on how you look at it. To a traveller it may be
little more than a blue/green blur at 110 km/h, to be
forgotten as soon as it is passed. The pastoralist,
however, sees much more. A skilled eye can gauge soil
fertility, recognise the brigalow, belah, cypress and
ironbarks that characterise each vegetation community,
and know which hardwoods are good for fencing and
what shrubs make fine fodder.
To the wildlife that live there permanently, the patch is a
world of opportunity and competition, safety and danger.
It is the sum of their experience, a land of hollows,
leaf-litter and soil cracks, of things to
catch and things to dodge. It is a
land of discrete environments that are
neatly partitioned to accommodate all
those relying on it.
Below ground level, insect holes and soil
cracks, larger burrows and cavities
beneath rotten stumps are all prime real
estate. They offer a stable, humid atmosphere,
protected from extreme outside temperatures for a host
of snakes, ground dwelling geckos and other lizards.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 5
Around the bases of trees, islands of thick leaf-litter
accumulate above a thin layer of soft compost and loose
soil. This makes up a separate, distinct habitat,
supporting reptiles that live no-where else. Tiny litter
skinks, such as Low’s litter skink, forage on and under
the leaves, while burrowing skinks wriggle in the
compost and soil below.
There are several
different kinds of
skinks, some with tiny
limbs and others with
limbs virtually absent, reflecting
their various subterranean habits.
A healthy forest includes trees of
all ages. The old, the dying and the
dead are among the most valuable to wildlife for the
shelter they provide, as these offer hollows, deep cracks
and loose bark that take decades to develop. Geckos
inhabit narrow gaps behind bark, while other cavities
provide shelter for goannas and pythons, bats and birds,
and a host of other animals.
A walk through a patch of brigalow scrub will reveal a
great deal to the careful observer, but much more
remains concealed. Many species are only active at
night while others are extremely secretive and easily
overlooked. Some reveal themselves only when a narrow
window of opportunity opens, such as after heavy rain.
But whether we see these species or not, the knowledge
that a complex community relies on these remnant
stands of vegetation for survival is enough to justify the
protection of such patches.
Page 6
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
CHANGING FACE OF THE LAND
Threats
Land clearing and the creation of pastures and dams
have dramatically altered the landscape. Whilst this has
had a negative impact on many species, some reptiles
have actually benefited from these activities. Eastern
brown snakes thrive in open country and may be more
common in disturbed areas such as rubbish dumps or
around barns than in natural forests. House geckos are
as comfortable on the walls of buildings as they are on
tree trunks, and bearded dragons remain a familiar sight
perched on fence posts, while a variety of small skinks
scuttle in the leaf-litter of garden beds.
The abundance of these species may lure us into
believing that all is well, but many other kinds of reptiles
have not fared so favourably. Some have seriously
declined. Historical records, for example, indicate that the
death adder was once extremely common. By some
accounts (probably exaggerated), stepping outside was
a hazardous exercise because of their sheer numbers.
They are now rare across the region, possibly because of
altered fire regimes and disturbance to the leaf-litter.
The brigalow scaly-foot and Dunmall’s Snake are also of
concern. They appear to require relatively undisturbed
forest or regrowth and have difficulty crossing broad,
cleared areas. Fragmented habitats result in isolated,
weakened populations unable to diversify genetically or
to disperse and recolonise in times of adverse conditions
such as flooding or fire.
Shinglebacks suffer a heavy
toll from traffic.
The Southern Brigalow Belt is also intersected by roads
that are an additional challenge to reptiles and other
wildlife. Not only do they pose an obvious danger to
animals attempting to move between habitat areas,
they are also appealing, yet lethal, basking sites at all
times. At night, nocturnal snakes come to soak up
stored heat from roads and tragically often don’t
recognise approaching vehicles as danger. The daily
injury and mortality rate contributes considerably to
other threats to the survival of local reptile populations.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 7
Other threats include inappropriate fire and grazing
regimes, predation and degradation of habitat by feral
animals and weed encroachment.
Key Points to Remember
• Land clearing for agriculture and grazing dramatically
alters the landscape forcing reptiles to adapt where
possible or face serious depletion
• Fragmented habitats result in isolated, weakened
populations that are unable to diversify genetically or
to disperse and recolonise in times of adverse
conditions such as fire and flood
• Inappropriate fire and grazing regimes threaten reptiles
and also destroy leaf-litter and vital understorey such
as shrubs, grasses and herbs and other reptile habitat
• Inappropriate grazing regimes result in soil
compaction
• Roads hinder the movement of wildlife between
habitats and are lethal basking sites during the day
and at night
Page 8
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Continued clearing of native vegetation remains the
greatest threat to reptiles and other wildlife of the
Southern Brigalow Belt. Inappropriate clearing regimes
where broad expanses of land are completely cleared
result in direct habitat loss and the isolation of
populations within remaining wooded stands.
This reduces fauna diversity. By leaving corridors
between existing stands, avenues of dispersal are kept
open. Road verges and strips of natural vegetation along
paddock boundaries can provide effective habitat
corridors for maintaining these avenues of dispersal.
Keep an eye out for those old, dead and dying trees.
Their hollows and cavities are vital wildlife refuges and
their removal can substantially reduce diversity. Keep in
mind that felled timber dozed into piles offers alternative
habitat opportunities for displaced fauna. They are lost if
these piles are subsequently burned. The yakka skink,
listed as vulnerable, sometimes establishes colonies in
these piles of mixed timber and earth.
Smouldering timber pile a possible reptile home
destroyed.
Also keep an eye out for wildlife on roads and stay within
speed limits. Womas (large, slow moving non-venomous
snakes) are often hit by fast moving cars, yet they are
easy to avoid, so give these long, banded snakes and
other native species right of way wherever possible.
Learn to recognise local species, particularly those of
conservation concern. The next section in this booklet
offers pointers for identification. Armed with the correct
information, you may discover you have an endangered
species in the wood pile. Enjoy the privilege.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 9
Checklist for Good Reptile Habitat
• Fallen leaf-litter, branches, logs and rocky areas
• Native trees and understorey (shrubs, groundcovers
and grasses)
• Old mature trees with hollows and standing dead
trees and stags
• Cracks and crevices
• Few, if any, weeds or feral animals
• Connecting corridors between patches of scrub
Activities that may be
detrimental to reptiles
Suggestions for reducing
detrimental effects
Clearing native vegetation
Avoid clearing where possible, but if essential, retain
some large, uncleared areas, patches of scrub and
corridors in their ‘unkept’ state
Leave understorey uncleared, but if essential, retain
some patches
Revegetate and rehabilitate corridors to connect
patches of scrub
Annual burning
Leave some patches unburnt to provide refuge areas
for reptiles
Trial less frequent burns and monitor reptile numbers
Page 10
Continuous grazing
Avoid grazing too frequently - trial grazing on a
rotational basis with lower stock numbers
‘Tidying’ up by removing
timber and dead trees or
rocky outcrops
Avoid removing timber and dead and dying trees if you need to ‘tidy’, stockpile instead and leave as
reptile habitat rather than burning these piles
Fatality and injury from
vehicle strikes
Keep an eye out for wildlife on roads, day and night,
travel within speed limits and allow wildlife right of way
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
DESCRIPTION OF REPTILES
Reptile identification tips
Each of the Southern Brigalow Belt reptile species has
distinctive features that distinguish it from all others.
Some, like the colours of the bandy-bandy or the sharp
snout of Burton’s snake lizard, are obvious and easy to
recognise. Others are much more subtle and require a
degree of skill and prior experience to determine.
For instance, some species of lizards have long bodies
and greatly reduced limbs. They are often referred to as
‘legless lizards’ and could easily be misidentified as
snakes. Here are a few pointers to tell them apart:
• Snakes have slender, deeply forked tongues, but all
lizards except goannas have broad, fleshy tongues.
• Snakes do not have ear-openings or eyelids.
Some snake-like lizards lack eyelids but have
ear-openings. Other snake-like lizards have lost their
ear-openings but have eyelids, which means they are
able to blink. All snake-like lizards have either eyelids
or ear-openings or both.
Brigalow scaly-foot,
a snake-like lizard, with its
broad, fleshy tongue.
• Most snakes (except blind snakes) have wide, belly
scales that are significantly and abruptly broader than
their other body scales, and extend across the full
width of the belly. The belly scales of lizards are
much the same as the adjacent scales or, if larger,
in a paired series.
If you are unsure, it is safest to regard the animal as a
snake and follow safety precautions.
Spotted black snake with its
slender, deeply forked tongue.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 11
Although accurate reptile identification can only be
undertaken by an expert, a keen observer and enthusiast
could assist with identification by noting various
characteristics and physical features such as the size,
colour and pattern of the animal, along with any
distinctive, behavioural characteristics, including the time
of activity (day or night), whether seen climbing or on the
ground, moving swiftly or slowly or found foraging or
uncovered under debris (see Appendix II - Reptile Field
Sighting Sheet). This information, ideally accompanied by
a photograph, can help with identification by an expert.
The Queensland Museum welcomes such enquiries.
Identification is a free service and operates seven days a
week for all types of wildlife, including reptiles. Details can
either be emailed to [email protected] or
posted to the Queensland Museum, Inquiry Centre,
PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Qld 4101. You can also
call the inquiry line on (07) 3840 7555.
Alternatively, you can contact the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Queensland Parks and Wildlife
Service at their Roma Office on (07) 4622 4266 or
the Toowoomba Office on (07) 4639 4599.
Key Points to Remember
• All native reptiles are protected in Queensland and
should not be disturbed or removed
• Due to the venomous nature of some snakes, it is not
recommended that they be captured or touched in
any way for identification
Page 12
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Conservation status
Species of conservation concern have declined in varying
degrees. Their long term survival is dependent upon our
ability to recognise their vulnerability to inappropriate
land management practices, feral predation and natural
events such as droughts, fires or floods that might
further negatively impact upon them.
The State (Queensland Nature Conservation Act, 1992)
and Commonwealth Government (Environmental
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999),
along with the International Union for the Conservation of
Nature (IUCN’s Red List) have ranked these species
according to how close to extinction they are.
Conservation status refers to this ranking. The following
list explains each ranking or classification.
(Note: This publication only cites the conservation
status for those species that are classified as
threatened with extinction - either
‘endangered’, ‘vulnerable’ or ‘rare’ - under
State and Commonwealth legislation.
All other species that do not have an E,
V or an R are ‘common’, meaning they
are protected by law but not classified as
threatened.)
Endangered: Species in danger of extinction in the
near future if threats to their existence continue. Species
are also listed as ‘endangered’ if they have not been
sighted in the wild for a period critical to their life cycle.
Vulnerable: Species considered likely to become
‘endangered’ in the near future if the threats to their
existence continue. Species may be listed as ‘vulnerable’
even when numbers are high, if their habitat is at
considerable risk or their populations are localised or
dependent on habitat at risk.
Rare: Species which are not yet classified as threatened
but have either relatively large populations in a restricted
range or smaller populations thinly spread over a
wider range.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 13
LIZARDS
DRAGONS
Dragons are easily recognized by their rough, often spiny
skin, upright postures and long limbs. They often perch
on elevated sites such as stumps and fence posts from
which they survey their surroundings with a keen eye.
Many dragons employ a suite of visual signals to
communicate. Head-bobbing, arm-waving, tail-lashing
and even changing the intensity of colour are used to
indicate such things as territory and sexual status.
Dragons can also be extremely secretive. If approached
they often freeze, lower their head, and closely hug their
perch to remain undetected.
All dragons are egg-layers, usually selecting relatively
exposed, open sites where they excavate a burrow and
lay their clutch (set) of white, soft-shelled eggs.
Burn’s dragon or ta-ta lizard
(Amphibolurus burnsi)
Description: This dragon has small, rough scales and
several longitudinal rows of larger spiny scales. The most
conspicuous row begins as a crest on the neck and runs
down the middle of the back. Two other large rows run
along each side. It is grey to black with a pair of
prominent pale grey to white stripes or series of large
blotches along each side of its back.
Distribution: Dry woodlands and river margins in the
eastern interior, not extending east of the Brigalow Belt.
Notes: Ta-ta lizards are the swiftest dragons in timbered
areas throughout the region. If approached, they often
leap from their perch and hit the ground running,
sprinting to safety on their hind limbs. The unusual
common name, shared with several more northern
relatives, is a result of the frequent habit of signalling
by arm-waving.
Page 14
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Bearded dragon (Pogona barbata)
Description: A very large and distinctive dragon with
spiny scales scattered over its back, clustered in a row
along its flanks, and arranged in a line along a pouch
under the throat which can be suddenly erected to form
a beard. Usually drab grey, but rival and breeding males
develop black beards.
Distribution: Widespread in eastern Australia.
Notes: Bearded dragons are masters of camouflage and
will often cling to rough bark, unmoving and unnoticed.
When confronted the spiny beard is erected, the body
flattened, and the mouth gaped to reveal the bright
yellow interior. The combined effect is designed to startle
its enemy. It has also led to confusion with the true
frillneck or ‘frilly’ lizard of the
northern and eastern areas of
Australia that erects a thin scaly ruff
around the neck. Bearded dragons eat
insects and vegetation. They are
particularly fond of flowers.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 15
LIZARDS
FLAP-FOOTED LIZARDS
Despite their snake-like appearance, these are unlikely
cousins of the geckos. Some scientists even classify
them together. The two groups share an ability to
squeak, and the peculiar habit of using their tongue like
a broad wet windscreen wiper to clean the surface of
the eye.
Flap-footed lizards have no forelimbs, and the hind limbs
are reduced to tiny, scaly flaps. They look superficially like
snakes but have broad fleshy tongues, ear-openings and
very long tails - from two to four times the length of the
body. Flap-footed lizards can lose and re-grow their tails,
so at times these may be shorter than the body.
A re-growing tail is clearly indicated by an abrupt change
in pattern and scale arrangement. By contrast, snakes
have thin forked tongues, no ear-openings, and tails
much shorter than the body.
Flap-footed lizards live under leaf-litter, in grass tussocks
and other thick vegetation, and in soil cracks or insect
holes. Most are nocturnal, but some can be seen by day.
Burton’s snake lizard (Lialis burtonis)
Description: Whatever superficial resemblance this
species has to a snake, its acutely pointed wedgeshaped snout easily distinguishes it from all other
Australian reptiles. Its colour ranges from grey to yellow
or brick red, with or without prominent stripes or rows of
dashes. The scaly flaps are extremely small and can be
difficult to see, even under close examination.
Distribution: Burton’s snake lizard occurs throughout the
region in all habitats. It has the largest distribution of any
Australian reptile, ranging from south-western Western
Australia to New Guinea.
Notes: This species has an extremely specialised diet.
It eats predominantly lizards, though the odd snake is
sometimes taken. Prey is seized in the lizard’s long
scissor-like jaws, and thanks to a strange hinge across
the top of its head, the jaw-tips meet to completely
encircle and suffocate the victim, which is then
swallowed whole. It is active by day and night.
Page 16
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Brigalow scaly-foot (Paradelma orientalis)
Conservation status: Listed as VULNERABLE under
State, Commonwealth and international legislation.
Description: Very glossy and smooth with a milky sheen.
Greyish brown with a dark band across the neck and a
much paler cream to pale brown head. The scaly flaps
are large enough to be clearly seen if examined closely.
Distribution: The Brigalow scaly-foot is largely restricted
to the Southern Brigalow Belt.
Notes: It is nocturnal, sheltering by day under thick
leaf-litter, beneath rocks, logs and other debris.
When provoked, it rears its head and flicks its tongue in
an apparent mimicry of a small, venomous snake. To a
skilled observer, the presence of ear-openings and a
thick fleshy tongue reveal it to be a harmless lizard.
Small predators are more easily fooled.
Eastern hooded scaly-foot (Pygopus schraderi)
Description: Matt-textured, with weak longitudinal ridges
running down its back. Reddish brown with a dark grey
to black blotch on top of the head and neck. The scaly
flaps are very large and can be easily seen if examined
closely.
Distribution: Widespread in dry parts of eastern Australia.
Notes: Widespread throughout the area, mainly on firm
reddish soils. It has similar habits to the Brigalow scalyfoot, including its threat posture, which apparently
mimicks a venomous snake. The dark head markings are
very similar to those of young brown
snakes, though it is not known
whether this is due to direct
mimicry or whether the
pattern helps regulate
temperature or there are
other reasons.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 17
LIZARDS
GECKOS
Geckos are soft-skinned lizards with large, lidless eyes,
protected by fixed transparent covers. Some grounddwelling geckos have simple, clawed feet, but others
have their fingers and toes flattened and expanded to
form pads. Beneath these pads are rows of broad,
modified scales, covered with thousands of microscopic
bristles. These adhere to minute irregularities on
seemingly smooth surfaces, allowing the lizards to
scamper with gravity-defying ease over walls, windows
and even ceilings.
Geckos are nocturnal. Some shelter deep in soil cracks
by day, others hide behind loose bark or in hollows.
A few even cling to branches, well hidden amongst
foliage. For some geckos, houses offer excellent
alternative habitats. Gaps behind wall-hangings and
between weatherboards are as acceptable as those in
trees, with the added advantage of limitless supplies of
insects attracted to lights at night. All Australian geckos
lay two (rarely one) eggs per clutch.
Wood gecko (Diplodactylus vittatus)
Description: A small gecko with distinctive pattern;
greyish brown with a broad pale stripe running down the
back and tail. The stripe is usually zigzagging, has deeply
notched edges, or is broken into blotches. The tail is
thick and fleshy, and the fingers and toes have small
pads, tipped below with a pair of enlarged plates.
Distribution: Widespread in eastern Australia.
Notes: Despite the padded feet, this gecko has only
limited climbing ability. By day it hides in insect holes
and soil cracks and at night it forages on the ground.
Wood geckos often select a small, fallen twig
as an elevated perch. From the majestic
height of up to 5 cm they survey the
surrounding terrain.
Page 18
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
House gecko or dtella (Gehyra dubia)
Description: Grey with dark streaks and pale dashes by
day, and ghostly pink with little or no pattern at night.
The fingers and toes have large, circular pads, with a
prominent claw arising from the upper surface of all
except the innermost digit.
Distribution: Widespread in eastern Australia.
Notes: This is the most common house gecko in the
region, occupying virtually all human structures. Those of
us who strive to tolerate the little ‘parcels’ they leave on
the window-sills and kitchen sink should also bear in
mind the geckos’ invaluable service as cockroach
disposal agents. The round, brittle-shelled eggs
sometimes accumulate in sheltered sites such as wall
cavities. Outside the human environment this gecko is
a tree dweller.
Golden-tailed gecko (Strophurus taenicauda)
Conservation status: Listed as RARE under State
legislation.
Description: This is one of the world’s most beautiful
geckos. It is white to pale grey, intensely marked with a
network of small black blotches over the head, body and
limbs, and a bright orange blaze down the tail. The large
eyes are red, highlighting the vertically elliptic pupil.
The fingers and toes have broad pads, tipped below
with a pair of large plates.
Distribution: Mainly confined to the Brigalow Belt.
Notes: This tree-dwelling gecko lives mainly
in foliage and on slender branches. By day it
clings to stems, with its netted pattern
effectively camouflaging it in the dappled
light. At night it patrols the foliage or
descends to the ground in search of insects.
It belongs to a small group of Australian geckos
sharing the unique ability to squirt sticky irritant fluid
from pores along the top of the tail. If this fluid comes in
contact with eyes it causes an intense burning sensation.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 19
LIZARDS
GOANNAS
Goannas (also called monitors) are easily recognised by
their thick, loose skin, long necks, narrow snouts and
constantly flickering, deeply forked tongues. The feet are
strongly clawed, the teeth long and curved backwards,
and the tail and limbs usually powerful. Many species
are enormous and the family includes the world’s
largest lizards.
Goannas are predators and scavengers. They plunder
bird nests, capture reptiles and mammals, occasionally
raid chook pens for eggs, and even dine on roadside
carrion. Some species are largely tree dwellers, sheltering
in hollow tree trunks and branches; others are terrestrial,
excavating large burrows. All can often be encountered
on the ground, where they walk with a distinctive
swaggering gait.
Goannas are egg-layers. Some
deposit their clutches in
burrows, but others excavate
active termite nests to shelter
the eggs. When the termites seal
the damage, the eggs are effectively
entombed. There is evidence to suggest
the female goanna returns months
later and opens the nest to free her
hatchlings.
Page 20
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Gould’s goanna (Varanus gouldii) and
yellow-spotted goanna (Varanus panoptes)
Description: Both of these very similar species are
yellowish brown with a pale-edged, dark stripe through
the eye. They can be difficult to distinguish
and remain problematic, even to the
‘experts’. Gould’s goanna (Varanus
gouldii) has clustered pale yellow spots
on the back and narrow pale bands on
the tail, with the last quarter to third of
the tail pale and unbanded. The pale
throat has grey streaks. The yellowspotted goanna (Varanus panoptes)
has round yellow spots arranged in
rows across the body, and the narrow
bands on the tail sometimes extend to
the tip. The pale throat has black
spots. It tends to be heavier than Gould’s goanna.
Gould’s goanna.
Distribution: Gould’s goanna extends across most of
Australia, while the yellow-spotted goanna is widespread
in northern areas.
Notes: They live mainly on the ground, lay their eggs in
burrows, and rarely climb trees.
Yellow-spotted goanna.
Freckled monitor (Varanus tristis)
Description: A very small, slender goanna with very
conspicuous, dark-centred, pale circular spots arranged
in rows across the body and base of the tail. The rest of
the tail is dark and patternless.
Distribution: Widespread in dry areas across Australia
and approaching its eastern limit in the
Southern Brigalow Belt.
Notes: Lives mainly in trees, sheltering behind
loose bark and in hollow limbs. It is very swift
and wary, lacking the confident nonchalance
exhibited by its larger relatives.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 21
LIZARDS
Lace monitor (Varanus varius)
Description: Two different colour types live in the region.
The common type is dark grey to black with numerous
rows of small pale spots across the back and tail-base.
The rest of the tail has a few very broad, widely-spaced
bands. The pale throat has broad, dark strap-like bands.
The banded type (sometimes called ‘Bell’s form’) has a
few simple, broad, pale yellowish brown and dark brown
bands on the body and tail and usually no bands across
the chin.
Distribution: Widespread in eastern Australia.
Notes: Lives mainly in trees but forages widely on the
ground. It is the largest lizard in the region. Eggs are laid
exclusively in termite nests.
Page 22
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
SKINKS
Skinks are the most common and obvious lizards in the
Southern Brigalow Belt. Typical skinks are the small, swift
and shiny lizards we see scurrying up and down tree
trunks and house walls or diving beneath the leaf-litter.
Skinks usually have smooth, overlapping body scales,
four obvious limbs with five fingers and toes, large scales
on the head arranged in a symmetrical pattern, and
movable eyelids that they can close to blink.
Skinks are also among the most variable of all Australian
vertebrates. None of the features outlined above apply to
all species. For example, blue-tongues and the
shingleback are big and slow-moving. Body scales of the
shingleback are rough and look like the outside of a pine
cone. Some skinks cannot blink as they have fixed, clear
spectacles covering their lidless eyes. Several burrowing
varieties have long, worm-like bodies, tiny limbs and a
reduced number of fingers and toes. A few have no legs
at all. Some skinks lay eggs, while others give birth to
fully-formed young.
Burrowing skink (Anomalopus leuckartii)
Description: Very long-bodied with a wax-like tip to the
snout, small eyes, and ear-openings represented by
scaly depressions. The forelimbs are very short with only
two stubby fingers, while the minute hind limbs are
reduced to clawless stumps. It is shades of brown,
usually with a pale band across the base of the head.
Distribution: Confined to the mid-eastern interior of
Australia.
Notes: Occurs throughout the region, inhabiting the soft
upper soil profile beneath the mats of leaf-litter around
the bases of trees. It can wriggle with ease through this
crumbling medium, and if uncovered can vanish in a
flash. It is an egg-layer. There are several different kinds
of local burrowing skinks ranging from those with
obvious, small limbs, to those with virtually no limbs
at all.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 23
LIZARDS
Eastern striped skink
Striped skinks (Ctenotus species)
Description: Of about six species of striped skinks
occurring in the region, the eastern striped skink
(Ctenotus robustus) and Ingram’s striped skink (Ctenotus
ingrami) are the most frequently encountered. They share
a bold pattern of longitudinal stripes. The eastern striped
skink has a broad, pale-edged black stripe
down the middle of its back, and a diffuse
row of pale blotches along the upper
flanks above a weak pale stripe through
the middle of the flanks. Ingram’s striped
skink is slightly smaller, with little or no
stripe down the middle of the back,
black, patternless upper flanks and a
very sharp white stripe through the
middle of the flanks.
Distribution: The eastern striped skink occurs over
northern and eastern Australia. Ingram’s striped skink is
restricted to dry woodlands of the mid-eastern interior.
Ingram’s striped skink
Notes: These are the swiftest of the Southern Brigalow
Belt skinks. They forage widely among leaf-litter and low
vegetation, are extremely wary of possible danger and
sprint for cover if approached. Striped skinks are
predators, feeding mainly on insects and spiders, but
also taking smaller lizards. All are egg-layers.
Yakka skink (Egernia rugosa)
Conservation status: Listed as VULNERABLE under
State and Commonwealth legislation.
Description: This very robust, thick-tailed skink is one of
the largest in the region. It is brown with a broad, darker
brown to black zone along the back. Some of the scales
at the rear of its head are fragmented, so it lacks
the symmetrical arrangement of other skinks. There are
several large, plate-like scales along the leading
edge of the ear, partly concealing the opening.
Distribution: Restricted to dry woodlands and outcrops
of Queensland’s eastern interior.
Page 24
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Notes: Yakka skinks share communal burrow systems,
often excavated in earth and timber that have been
bulldozed into heaps. They may also occupy disused
rabbit warrens and have occasionally been recorded
living under buildings. Colonies include individuals of all
ages. They are extremely wary, basking near, or partly
concealed by, their shelter sites. They seldom venture
far and retreat to cover at the first sign of
disturbance. Yakka skinks eat both animal
and plant material, including insects, fruits
and soft foliage. Their presence is often
indicated by a shared site where they deposit
their droppings. Young are born fully-formed.
Tree skink (Egernia striolata)
Description: This robust skink has a slightly flattened
head and body and a series of low, longitudinal ridges
along each of the scales on its back. It is dark brown to
grey in colour, with scattered pale flecks, a distinctive
paler flush through each shoulder to about the middle
of the back, and dark brown to black upper flanks.
The scales along the lips are often conspicuously paler.
Distribution: Widespread in the eastern interior of Australia.
Notes: It is associated with standing or fallen timber,
including fence posts and wood piles. Individuals or small
groups live in hollows or beneath loose bark. They are
often seen basking, but seldom venture far from shelter.
Young are born fully-formed.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 25
LIZARDS
Broad-banded sand-swimmer
(Eremiascincus richardsonii)
Description: A very shiny skink with a distinctive pattern
of simple, dark bands from neck to tail-tip, against a
brown to reddish brown background.
Distribution: Central and western arid-zones, becoming
rare east of the Southern Brigalow Belt.
Notes: Mainly active at night, when it may be seen
scuttling across roads. By day it shelters in loose soil
under thick leaf-litter, in disused burrows and soil cracks.
The sand-swimmer is an egg-layer, named for its habit
of disappearing into soft, loose sand and its ability to
wriggle with ease below the surface.
Low’s litter skink (Menetia timlowi)
Description: This is probably the smallest reptile in the
Southern Brigalow Belt. With a body length of less than
3 cm, it is smaller than many medium-sized insects. It
has only four fingers on the forelimb and a large, fixed,
transparent spectacle covering the eye. It is dark greyish
brown with little pattern, except for some darker and
lighter flecks. When viewed indirectly, it reflects an
attractive, iridescent sheen.
Distribution: Dry woodlands of Queensland’s eastern
interior.
Notes: Litter skinks are extremely secretive inhabitants
of leaf-litter accumulated around the base of trees.
These egg-layers rarely venture into open spaces and
vanish swiftly and silently into the matrix of dead leaves
if approached. The clear eye-covering is believed to be
an adaptation by small skinks living in dry climates to
reduce water loss from the surface of the eye.
Page 26
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Blue-tongue (Tiliqua scincoides) and
shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa)
Description: These distinctive skinks share a unique
combination of large size, robust build and short,
widely-spaced limbs with stubby fingers and toes.
Both are very slow-moving. The blue-tongue has a thick,
pointed tail, small, smooth scales and a prominent
banded pattern. With a body length of more than 30 cm,
it is arguably the largest of more than 1400 skink species
world wide. The shingleback has a bulbous
tail, very large, rough, ‘pine cone’ like
scales and sombre, dark colouration.
Distribution: Distributions of blue-tongues
and shinglebacks collectively cover most
of Australia, including towns, cities and rural
areas. Not surprisingly they are tolerant of altered
habitats and are widespread in the Southern
Brigalow Belt.
Notes: They are often encountered crossing roads and
suffer a high mortality rate as a result. When disturbed
they gape their mouths and present their broad, flat, blue
tongues. They appear fierce, but are quite harmless,
though a nip can be painful. It has been suggested that
these slow, giant, largely vegetarian skinks are roughly
the equivalent to the land tortoises of other continents.
Young are born fully-formed.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 27
SNAKES
BLIND SNAKES OR WORM SNAKES
Ramphotyphlops species
These harmless, non-venomous, worm-like snakes have
cylindrical bodies, short, blunt tails tipped with a short
spur and close-fitting, highly polished body scales.
Scales are of uniform size around the body, lacking the
large belly scales of other snakes. The eyes, discernible
as a pair of dark spots set below the head scales, are
extremely light-sensitive but generally thought to be
unable to determine images.
Blind snakes are Australia’s only insect-eating snakes.
They feed on termites and the eggs, pupae and larvae
of ants. Some large species specialise on the formidable
bulldog ants.
Blind snakes are burrowers, living within the galleries and
chambers of their hosts and under rocks and logs. They
sometimes ascend to the surface at night, particularly
after rain. If disturbed, some species emit repellent
odours. Identification of the different species is difficult
without a microscope and plenty of prior experience.
PYTHONS
Pythons are large, non-venomous, constricting snakes.
They have several modifications to overpower and
consume large prey, including muscular bodies, highly
flexible skulls, and very small, numerous body scales
allowing great elasticity of the skin. Most species also
have a row of heat-sensitive pits in the scales along the
lower jaw. These can detect warm-blooded animals by
the body heat they produce.
Contrary to popular belief, pythons do not crush their
prey. They constrict it in ever tightening coils, causing
death by suffocation and perhaps circulatory disruption.
Pythons exhibit the greatest maternal care in Australian
snakes, with mothers coiling around their eggs and
guarding them. During the two-month incubation period
females normally do not feed and will strike at any
intruders that venture too close. Once the babies hatch,
maternal care ceases and they are on their own.
Page 28
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Woma (Aspidites ramsayi)
Conservation status: Listed as RARE under State
legislation and ENDANGERED under international
legislation.
Description: This is one of only two pythons in the world
lacking heat sensitive pits along the lips (the other is the
closely related black-headed python which occurs further
north). It is a large, robust snake with simple, distinctive
bands across the body. The head is often flushed with
yellow and there is sometimes a small dark patch above
each eye.
Distribution: Widespread in central and western arid zones,
reaching its eastern limit in the Southern Brigalow Belt.
Notes: This is an unusual python for several reasons.
The absence of heat sensitive pits has been attributed to
a reptile-dominated diet (reptiles do not generate internal
body heat). It is almost entirely terrestrial and rarely
climbs. Most other pythons are skilled climbers, as likely
to be encountered on a rock face or in a tree as they are
on the ground. Womas shelter in hollow logs and
abandoned burrows (those of goannas, rabbits, and
once upon a time, bilbies). They are mainly nocturnal and
are locally uncommon.
Snake Safety Tips
• Leave snakes alone. They are protected under
State legislation and it is illegal to injure or harm them,
not to mention potentially dangerous.
• Keep your homestead clear of livestock feed which
attracts mice and rats, and free from material that
covers the ground, such as old tin.
• Never put your hand where you cannot see it,
such as in a log or under a wood pile.
• Keep an eye out for snakes whilst walking through tall
grass and vegetated areas.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 29
SNAKES
VENOMOUS SNAKES
With few exceptions, Australia’s venomous snakes
belong to a family called Elapidae. Elapids have two
fangs at the front of the mouth, connected to a venom
gland. The venom is used primarily to immobilise
prey and secondly as retaliation against attack.
Elapids include some of the most lethal snakes in
the world. However the great majority are small,
inoffensive and regarded as harmless. None will attack if
left alone. The family includes egg-layers and live bearers,
diurnal (day) and nocturnal snakes, dietary specialists
and broad opportunists.
Within the Southern Brigalow Belt, elapids have smooth
scales in 21 or fewer rows around the body, wide,
distinctive belly scales, and large head scales arranged in
a symmetrical pattern. Some have a single row of scales
under the tail, like those on the belly. Others have a
paired series with a zigzagging suture down the middle
or a combination of both.
Death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus)
DANGEROUS
Conservation status: Listed as RARE under State
legislation.
Description: Very distinctive, with a short, thick body,
broad obvious triangular head, and abruptly slender tail,
ending with a small curved spur. The body is banded
against a grey or reddish brown background.
Distribution: Widespread in eastern and southern Australia.
Notes: Death adders are extremely secretive, lying
concealed under mats of leaf-litter for hours or days
at a time. The tail is segmented and can be wriggled
convulsively like a worm or a caterpillar to lure birds,
lizards and mammals to within striking range. In stark
contrast to its sedentary habits and slow locomotion,
the strike is so fast that the human eye can scarcely
perceive the movement. Historically, death adders were
abundant throughout the Southern Brigalow Belt but
their numbers have crashed, possibly to levels critically
threatening their survival over recent decades.
Young are born fully-formed.
Page 30
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Coral snake (Brachyurophis australis)
Description: A short, robust snake with an acute cutting
edge at the tip of its up-turned snout. It is coral pink
with a black blotch on the head, a broad, black band
across the neck and narrow bands of cream-centred,
dark-edged scales across the body and tail.
Distribution: Occurs in dry to arid zones of eastern
Australia and is uncommon east of the Southern
Brigalow Belt.
Notes: A secretive burrowing snake that
usually lives deep within soil cracks, insect
holes and rotten stumps. It is often found on
the road at night or uncovered during
ploughing. Coral snakes have an unusual diet
- they feed almost entirely on lizard eggs,
taking only the occasional whole lizard. They are
egg-layers.
Yellow-faced whipsnake
(Demansia psammophis)
Description: An extremely slender, large-eyed snake with
a thin black line across the snout, a pale edge to the eye
and a dark, comma-shaped streak from below the eye to
the corner of the mouth. It is bluish grey, often with a
rusty flush or a pair of rusty stripes from the neck to
the front third of the body.
Distribution: Widespread over Australia.
Notes: A very swift snake that is
active by day, often patrolling open
areas. This is the ‘cheetah of the
snake world’. It locates lizards with
its keen eyesight and captures them
on the run with a burst of speed.
It lays eggs, and several females
sometimes gather to lay them
communally.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 31
SNAKES
De Vis banded snake or mud adder
(Denisonia devisi)
Description: A short, thick slightly flat snake. Its eyes, set
at the top of its head, have conspicuous pale irises. It is
yellowish brown to olive, with irregular, ragged-edged,
narrow dark bands across the body.
Distribution: Alluvial flats (made of soil and sand left by
rivers or floods) in mid-eastern interior of Australia.
Notes: A sluggish snake of low-lying areas, particularly
near sites subject to seasonal flooding.
By day it shelters in soil cracks and other
deep cavities, emerging at night to forage
for its sole diet, frogs. De Vis banded
snakes can sometimes be confused with
death adders as both have thick, banded
bodies. The De Vis banded snake’s tail does not
taper abruptly and its head is not broad and triangular.
It gives birth to fully-formed young.
Dunmall’s snake (Furina dunmalli)
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS
Conservation status: Listed as VULNERABLE under
State, Commonwealth and international legislation.
Description: A robust, shiny snake with small, dark eyes
and little or no pattern. It is brown to olive with only a few
faint pale smudges on the lips. There are 21 rows of
scales around the body and two series of scales under
the tail.
Distribution: Largely confined to the Brigalow Belt.
Notes: This very poorly known snake shelters by day
under logs, in soil cracks and other deep cavities. It is
nocturnal and feeds on lizards that are possibly captured
at night while asleep. It is an egg-layer. Dunmall’s snake
is probably genuinely uncommon even within its limited
range. There is a record of a bite producing
uncomfortable symptoms so this snake should be
regarded as potentially dangerous.
Page 32
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Grey snake (Hemiaspis damelii)
Conservation status: Listed as ENDANGERED under
State legislation.
Description: Matt-textured snake with large, dark eyes
and little pattern. Shades of grey with a dark band
across the base of the head. There are 17 rows of scales
around the body and a single series under the tail.
Distribution: Alluvial flats in mid-eastern
interior of Australia.
Notes: Inhabits low-lying, flood-prone
areas with heavy cracking soils. It
lives by day in the cracks and
emerges at night to hunt frogs. Young
are born fully-formed.
Pale-headed snake
(Hoplocephalus bitorquatus)
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS
Description: Matt-textured snake with a dark grey,
patternless body and a broad, distinctively marked head.
The top of the head is pale grey with a band of dark
blotches across the base and a pale band across the
neck, edged behind by a black band or row of blotches.
Distribution: Widespread in mid-eastern coast and
interior of Australia.
Notes: One of the few venomous Australian snakes that
regularly climbs. It inhabits low-lying, flood-prone areas
supporting large, mature trees such as river gums and
ironbarks. By day it hides behind loose bark and in
hollows. At night it forages over the trunks and limbs,
often descending to the ground in search of frogs. It can
be aggressive if provoked. There are records of bites
producing uncomfortable symptoms, so this snake
should be regarded as potentially dangerous.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 33
SNAKES
Western brown snake (Pseudonaja nuchalis)
DANGEROUS
Description: A bewildering variety of colour forms are
known, from plain brown to boldly-banded or brick red
with a shiny black head. Juveniles invariably have a black
blotch on the head and a broad black band across the
neck. The belly is cream to yellow with small orange
blotches. There are 17 scale rows around the middle of
the body and the scales under the tail are mostly paired,
though sometimes the first few scales are single.
Distribution: Extends over vast tracts of the north, centre
and west, reaching its eastern limit in the Southern
Brigalow Belt.
Notes: Occurs throughout the western parts of the
region, particularly on the redder soils. It is active by day
or night, depending on temperature, and shelters in
hollow logs, abandoned burrows and soil cracks. All
small vertebrates are taken as food. It is an egg-layer.
Eastern brown snake (Peudonaja textilis)
DANGEROUS
Description: Very variable. Adults are typically brown
and patternless, though they may be banded or flecked.
Juveniles invariably have a black blotch on the head,
a broad black band across the neck and sometimes
narrow dark bands across the body. These are normally
lost as the snake grows. The belly is cream with small
orange blotches. There are 17 scale rows around the
middle of the body and the scales under the tail are
mostly paired, though sometimes the first few are single.
Distribution: Widespread over dry parts of eastern
Australia, including the peripheries of most
major towns and cities.
Notes: This is the most common, large,
venomous snake in the Southern
Brigalow Belt. Land clearing has been
beneficial to this lover of open terrain.
Likewise, the establishment of grain
storage facilities has provided a limitless
supply of introduced mice. It is shy if left
alone but nervous and aggressive if
provoked. It is an egg-layer.
Page 34
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
King brown or mulga snake
(Pseudechis australis) DANGEROUS
Description: A very large, brown to reddish brown snake,
usually with paler bases and darker hind edges to each
scale, creating a net-like pattern. The belly is cream and
patternless. The head is broad and slightly flattened.
There are 17 scale rows around the middle of the body
and the scales under the tail are a mix of single for the
first 20% and paired along the remainder.
Distribution: Extends over vast tracts of
the north, centre and west, reaching its
eastern limit in the Southern Brigalow
Belt.
Notes: Despite the name, this is not a true
brown snake (it is related to black snakes)
and its distribution extends well beyond
any stands of mulga. It is often confused
with brown snakes, but has a broader
head and no orange blotches on the belly.
King brown or mulga snakes are active by
day or night depending on weather. They
are egg-layers that feed on all suitably
sized vertebrates.
Spotted black snake or blue-bellied black
snake (Pseudechis guttatus)
DANGEROUS
Description: Black to grey, often with scattered paler
spots. The belly is grey to bluish grey. There are 19 scale
rows around the middle of the body and the scales
under the tail are a mix of single scales for
the first 20% and paired scales along the
remainder of the body.
Distribution: Widespread over eastern
interior of Australia, mainly on alluvial flats.
Notes: Occurs throughout the region,
particularly in low-lying, flood-prone
areas. Spotted black snakes are active
by day and night. They are egg-layers,
feeding on all suitably sized vertebrates.
These snakes should be regarded as
dangerous, though there are no
recorded fatalities.
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 35
SNAKES
Red-bellied black snake
(Pseudechis porphyriacus) DANGEROUS
Description: Glossy black above and pink below,
merging to intense red on the lower flanks. There are
17 scale rows around the middle of the body and the
scales under the tail are a mix of single scales for the first
20% and paired scales along the remainder of the body.
Distribution: Widespread over eastern Australia, normally
near water.
Notes: One of our most familiar snakes, the red-bellied
black snake is often seen basking along the edges of
watercourses or sliding gracefully from view into a hollow
log. It feeds mainly on frogs, and also takes mammals,
birds and reptiles. Fully-formed young are born in clear
sacks from which they emerge almost immediately. This
snake has often been maligned and persecuted as an
aggressive species, yet it is placid by nature. That said,
it should be regarded as dangerous, though there are
no recorded fatalities.
Bandy-bandy (Vermicella annulata)
Description: Unmistakable; thanks to the distinctive,
sharply contrasting black and white rings encircling its
body, the bandy-bandy cannot be confused with any
other local snake.
Distribution: It is widespread over eastern and northern
Australia, from deserts to rainforests.
Notes: This secretive burrower is only seen above
ground at night, particularly after rain. It has one of the
most unusual and specialised diets of
any Australian snake, taking only blind
snakes. Research indicates that it
feeds infrequently, perhaps only a few
times per year. If provoked, the bandybandy arches its body into a series of
vertically oriented loops, thrashing
and realigning the hoops at the
slightest disturbance.
Page 36
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
REFERENCES AND
SELECTED READING
Accad, A. et al. 2001, Remnant Vegetation in
Queensland, Analysis of Pre-clearing, Remnant 19971999 Regional Ecosystem Information, State
Government of Queensland, Environmental Protection
Agency.
Cogger, H. G. 2000, Reptiles and Amphibians of
Australia, Reed New Holland, Sydney.
Ehmann, H. 1992, Encyclopedia of Australian Animals,
Reptiles, Angus & Robertson, Pymble.
Environmental Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act, 1999, Commonwealth of
Australia.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2002,
International Union for the Conservation of
Nature.
Nature Conservation Act, 1992, Queensland
Government.
Wilson, S. K. and Knowles, D. G. 1988, Australia's
Reptiles - A Photographic Reference to the Terrestrial
Reptiles of Australia, Collins, Pymble.
For more information relating to the
conservation status of the species listed in
this publication and others, please refer to the
following web pages:
Queensland Government
Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.qld.gov.au/environment/plant/endangered/
Commonwealth Government
Environment Australia
www.ea.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/index.html
International
International Union for the Conservation of Nature
www.redlist.org/
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 37
APPENDIX I:
COMPLETE CHECKLIST OF
SOUTHERN BRIGALOW BELT REPTILES
The following is a list of reptiles that occur within the Southern Brigalow Belt. This list
also includes a number of species whose presence in isolated, cool, moist uplands
such as the Bunya Mountains places them within the region’s broad geographic
boundaries. They are not, however, typical Southern Brigalow Belt fauna. Examples
include the tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) and the skink Lampropholis colossus.
E = Endangered
V = Vulnerable
Geckos
Diplodactylus conspicillatus
Diplodactylus steindachneri
Diplodactylus tessellatus
Diplodactylus vittatus
Gehyra catenata
Gehyra dubia
Gehyra variegata
Heteronotia binoei
Nephrurus asper
Oedura marmorata
Oedura monilis
Oedura rhombifer
Oedura robusta
Oedura tryoni
Saltuarius salebrosus
Rhynchoedura ornata
Strophurus taenicauda (R)
Strophurus williamsi
Underwoodisaurus milii
Delma inornata
Delma plebeia
Delma tincta
Delma torquata (V)
Lialis burtonis
Paradelma orientalis (V)
Pygopus schraderi
Page 38
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
R = Rare
Skinks
Anomalopus brevicollis
Anomalopus leuckartii
Anomalopus mackayi (V)
Anomalopus verreauxii
Calyptotis scutirostrum
Carlia foliorum
Carlia munda
Carlia mundivensis
Carlia pectoralis
Carlia schmeltzii
Carlia tetradactyla
Carlia vivax
Cryptoblepharus carnabyi
Cryptoblepharus
plagiocephalus
Cryptoblepharus virgatus
Ctenotus allotropis
Ctenotus arcanus
Ctenotus ingrami
Ctenotus pantherinus
Ctenotus regius
Ctenotus robustus
Ctenotus taeniolatus
Cyclodomorphus gerrardii
Egernia cunninghami
Egernia frerei
Egernia modesta
Egernia rugosa (V)
Egernia striolata
Eremiascincus fasciolatus
Eremiascincus richardsonii
Eulamprus brachysoma
Eulamprus martini
Eulamprus quoyii
Eulamprus sokosoma
Eulamprus tenuis
Glaphyromorphus
punctulatus
Lampropholis adonis
Lampropholis colossus
Lampropholis delicata
Lerista fragilis
Lerista muelleri
Lerista punctatovittata
Menetia greyii
Menetia timlowi
Morethia boulengeri
Morethia taeniopleura
Saiphos equalis
Tiliqua rugosa
Tiliqua scincoides
Goannas
Varanus gouldii
Varanus panoptes
Varanus tristis
Varanus varius
Dragons
Amphibolurus burnsi
Amphibolurus muricatus
Amphibolurus nobbi nobbi
Chlamydosaurus kingii
Diporiphora australis
Physignathus lesueurii
Pogona barbata
Tympanocryptis lineata
Tympanocryptis
pinguicolla (E)
Blind Snakes
Ramphotyphlops affinis
Ramphotyphlops ligatus
Ramphotyphlops nigrescens
Ramphotyphlops proximus
Ramphotyphlops wiedii
Pythons
Antaresia maculosus
Aspidites melanocephalus
Aspidites ramsayi (R)
Morelia spilota
Freshwater Turtles
Chelodina expansa
Chelodina longicollis
Elseya dentata
Elseya latisternum
Elapid Snakes
Emydura krefftii
Acanthophis antarcticus (R)
Emydura macquarii
Brachyurophis australis
Rheodytes leukops (V)
Cacophis harriettae
Cacophis krefftii
Cryptophis boschmai
Cryptophis nigrescens
Demansia psammophis
Demansia vestigiata
Denisonia devisi
Denisonia maculata (V)
Furina diadema
Furina dunmalli (V)
Hemiaspis damelii (E)
Hoplocephalus bitorquatus
Notechis scutatus
Parasuta dwyeri
Pseudechis australis
Pseudechis guttatus
Pseudechis porphyriacus
Pseudonaja nuchalis
Pseudonaja textilis
Suta suta
Vermicella annulata
Colubrid Snakes
Boiga irregularis
Dendrelaphis punctulata
Tropidonophis mairii
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 39
Page 40
10.01.03
8am
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
loam soils.
Trees in surrounding area pattern, brilliant red strip
include poplar box. Clay- up tail and lower back.
Meandarra-Tara Road
Golden-tailed gecko
(Strophurus taenicauda).
Mottled black and white
Name of Species or
Description
(size, colour, pattern)
Cleared paddock with
occasional lime bush
and false sandalwood.
Habitat Type
(soil type,
vegetation type,
landforms)
55J 0774984 6957997
18km south from
intersection of
Name of Observer/s:
Date
Time Location (GPS reading,
map co-ordinates,
landmark or road)
Seen by day in a lime bush about
1 m above ground.
Comments
(swift or slow, climbing or
on the ground, active by
day or night etc)
This sheet can be photocopied and used to record details of reptiles seen while out bush, or on your property.
APPENDIX II:
REPTILE FIELD SIGHTING SHEET
USEFUL CONTACTS
Threatened Species Network - WWF Australia
North Region Office
Level 2, 490 Upper Edward Street, Spring Hill
PO Box 710
SPRING HILL QLD 4004
Telephone:
(07) 3839 2677
Facsimile:
(07) 3839 2633
Email:
[email protected] or
[email protected]
Web:
www.wwf.org.au/tsn
Queensland Museum
Inquiry Centre
PO Box 3300
SOUTH BRISBANE QLD 4101
Telephone:
(07) 3840 7555
Facsimile:
(07) 3846 1918
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
www.qmuseum.qld.gov.au
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Toowoomba District Office
158 Hume Street, Toowoomba
PO Box 731
TOOWOOMBA QLD 4350
Telephone:
(07) 4639 4599
Facsimile:
(07) 4639 4524
Web:
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Roma District Office
36 Quintin Street, Roma
PO Box 981
ROMA QLD 4455
Telephone:
(07) 4622 4266
Facsimile:
(07) 4622 4151
Web:
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Environment Australia
GPO Box 787
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Telephone:
(02) 6274 1111
Web:
www.ea.gov.au
Reptiles of the Southern Brigalow Belt
Page 41
The Threatened Species Network (TSN)
is a community-based program of the
Commonwealth Government’s Natural
Heritage Trust and WWF Australia.
TSN has been at the forefront of educating
the public and engaging community
groups in threatened species
conservation for over a decade.
For in-depth information,
email [email protected] or
call our toll free number 1800 032 551.