Brigalow scaly-foot
Common name: Brigalow scaly-foot
Scientific name: Paradelma orientalis
Family: Pygopodidae
Conservation status: This species is listed as Vulnerable in Queensland (Nature Conservation Act 1992) and nationally (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). It is ranked as a medium priority under the Department of Environment and Resource Management ‘Back on Track’ species prioritisation framework.
Description
The Brigalow scaly-foot is a legless lizard that grows to approximately 16cm. It is a heavy set lizard with a round snout, prominent ear openings, fairly large limb-flaps and a tail twice the length of the body. The body is grey to greyish brown in colour and the base of the head is cream to pale brown. A distinctive black bar crosses the back side of the neck. Midbody scales are in 18 (occasionally 20) rows and are smooth and glossy.
This species is a flap-footed or ‘legless’ lizard, so called because it has completely lost its forelimbs but has a small scaly flap that is remnant of its hindlimbs.
Habitat and distribution
The Brigalow scaly-foot is found on sandstone ridges in woodlands and vine thickets, and in open forests and woodlands, especially ironbark, cypress pine, brigalow, bull oak, spotted gum and vine scrubs. Reports suggest it is a climber of small trees and it has been observed in Acacia falciformis trees on Boyne Island. Sandstone slabs, logs, dense leaf litter and grass tussocks in these habitats, provide shelter.
This species is endemic to Queensland and occurs mostly in the Queensland Brigalow Belt (QBB) bioregion, from Inglewood on the southern downs, north to Emerald and east to Gladstone.
Diet
This species has been observed licking sap exuding from Acacia falciformis trunks on Boyne Island. Sap forms a major portion of the diet of both adults and juveniles.
Behaviour and life history
This slow moving nocturnal species is mostly terrestrial (lives on the land), although it has been recorded climbing the rough bark of wattles. When alarmed, the species will rear its head and fore body and flickers its tongue, possibly to mimic venomous snakes.
Females are thought to lay up to two eggs between late spring and early summer. Studies conducted on Boyne Island, recorded a female in captivity laying two eggs in early November with the eggs hatching in late January.
Threatening processes
The Brigalow scaly-foot is threatened by habitat loss due to land clearing and thinning operations, inappropriate road side management, and predation by feral animals such as cats. Habitat degradation from overgrazing and accidental deaths on roads and from misidentification with snakes, may pose additional threats.
Recovery actions
- Identify key habitat throughout the QBB bioregion and priority areas for conservation in local government regions and develop management guidelines to protect these areas on private and state-controlled land.
- Negotiate management agreements with landholders that are in line with recommended management guidelines to protect key habitat and priority areas.
- Implement monitoring programs in key habitat and priority conservation areas.
- Protect reptile habitat on the stock route network and shire roadsides and reserves
- Adopt a collaborative approach to reptile conservation and encourage involvement from government agencies, regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) bodies, industry groups, indigenous groups, landholders and the community.
- Deliver media campaigns and education material to raise community awareness of this species and other priority reptile species in Queensland.
What can be done to help this species?
- For areas of land supporting threatened reptile populations, adhere to management guidelines aimed at protecting key habitat and priority areas for conservation.
- Become involved in community-based on-ground projects (e.g. fencing remnants to reduce grazing impacts, weed and feral predator control, reptile monitoring) and help protect habitat across a suite of land tenures, particularly on non-reserved lands.
- Help protect threatened reptiles in the QBB bioregion by supporting integrated pest management activities which seek to address feral animal threats (e.g. pigs, cats, foxes).
- Report sightings of this and other threatened reptiles of the QBB bioregion to the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) by contacting the WildNet Team ( WildNet@derm.qld.gov.au or Ph: 07 3330 5484).
Last reviewed 24 February 2011
Last updated 16 July 2010