Hooded Scaly-foot Pygopus schraderi

A Threatened of North Western Victoria

Description Like most legless , this species lays a The Hooded Scaly-foot (Pygopus schraderi ) is a clutch of two eggs once a year in summer in soil large legless (total length 475 mm, snout cavities. The Hooded Scaly-foot eats insects and vent length up to 180 mm). Females grow larger spiders on the surface, in soil cracks and in than males. Legless or flap-footed lizards (family burrows. The species is thought to be active from ) lack forelimbs. Their hind limbs are dusk through the night, but may be active during reduced to a scaly flap just above the vent, and the day at southern latitudes or on cooler days. their eyes are lidless and snake-like. Unlike They are probably inactive during the winter snakes, most legless lizards have an obvious ear months opening, a broad fleshy tongue and a tail that Distribution and habitat (when unbroken) is much longer than their body. The Hooded Scaly-foot is found across mainland The Hooded Scaly-foot ranges from pale grey to Australia. Within Victoria it occurs in the north of reddish-brown on the dorsal surface and whitish the state on clay and clay-loam soils with Black on the ventral surface. The dorsal scales may be Box ( Eucalyptus largiflorens ), chenopod, grassland dark-edged, forming a net-like pattern, or pale and Buloke ( Casuarina luehmannii ) vegetation. It and dark scales may form vague lines. The darker shelters under fallen timber (including old fence head gives the lizard a ‘hooded’ appearance. posts), rocks, mats of dead vegetation, grass tussocks and in large invertebrate burrows or soil cracks. It is possible the species occupies different habitat elsewhere in the state.

There have been very few records of the Hooded Scaly-foot in Victoria. There are pre-1900 records from Kerang and near Kewell (south of Warracknabeal). There is an undated record from near Ouyen, and records from Ulupna Island west of Tocumwal (mid-1970s), and Quambatook (1986). Currently only four extant Hooded Scaly- foot populations are known in Victoria including Terrick Terrick National Park, Lake Ranfurly west of Mildura, Korrack Korrack grasslands and Ned’s Corner Station. Current status in Victoria The Hooded Scaly-foot is listed as ‘Threatened’ Currently known distribution of under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 the Hooded Scaly-foot in Victoria and is classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ in Victoria.

Hooded Scaly-foot ( Pygopus schraderi )

Threats Future work The Hooded Scaly-foot is threatened by the Further research into the Hooded Scaly-foot is destruction, degradation and fragmentation of its urgently required due to its rarity in terms of remaining habitat. As the species is currently abundance and distribution, and because we known from only four extant sites in Victoria the know so little about the optimal management loss of any of these sites would be a significant strategies for the remaining populations. loss for the species, and these populations are Recent surveys for the Striped Legless Lizard extremely vulnerable to a suite of threats. (Delma impar ) in the Wimmera Catchment have Threatening processes include: discovered two other species of threatened – Curl Snake ( Suta suta ) and Tessellated • Grazing, timber harvesting and firewood ( Diplodactylus tessellatus ). These species collection which disturbs or destroys the ground are often found in association with the Hooded litter Scaly-foot and the surveys were geographically • Cultivation or trampling that disturbs the soil close to the historical Hooded Scaly-foot record and vegetation structure where the lizard lives from near Kewell, south of Warracknabeal.

• Weed invasion that modifies vegetation The presence of these species, and the habitat in structure which they were found, suggest that the Hooded Scaly-foot could still be present in the Wimmera • Changed and inappropriate fire regimes in remnant Black Box, Buloke, chenopod, or • Impact of exotic predators such as cats and grasslands habitats on clay and clay-loam soils. foxes Future surveys will target these areas.

• Insecticides that reduce the amount of available prey

Shrubland habitat of Hooded Scaly-foot How can you help? As part of the recovery program for the Hooded Scaly-foot we are attempting to determine its current distribution in Victoria. If you think you have seen a Hooded Scaly-foot, please let us know.

To report sightings of this threatened species, or for more information on this project, please contact: Garry Peterson, Threatened Species Project Officer DSE, Telephone: (03) 5561 9915 e-mail: [email protected]

For more information on this and other threatened species go to www.swifft.net.au .

Photographs by Peter Robertson, Wildlife Profiles P/L

Published by the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Melbourne, November 2007 © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2007

Thi s publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 . Authorised by the Victorian Government, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne.

For more information contact the DSE South West Regional Office (Warrnambool) on 5561 9900 or visit the DSE website at http://www.dse.vic.gov.au This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.

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