Darling Downs earless dragon
Common name: Darling Downs earless dragon
Scientific name: Tympanocryptis cf. tetraporophora
Family: Agamidae
Conservation status: The Darling Downs earless dragon is listed as Endangered in Queensland (Nature Conservation Act 1992) and nationally (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). It is ranked as a high priority under the Department of Environment and Resource Management Back on Track species prioritisation framework.
Description
The Darling Downs earless dragon is a small, plump, spiny earless dragon lizard that grows to an average size of 12 cm. It is well camouflaged and has prominent pale stripes. The chin and throat may be yellow, marbled with black.
Habitat and distribution
The Darling Downs earless dragon is known from Queensland, parts of southern and central Victoria, the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. In Queensland, it has been recorded from the Oakey area including the Bongeen, Bowenville, Brookstead and Mt Tyson region in the Darling Downs.
The Queensland population appears to survive in an intensely cropped area in the Darling Downs. Prior to cropping, this area was natural treeless grassland. This species has been found sheltering under surface rocks or in rocky outcrops, while cracks in the black clay of the Condamine River floodplain appear to provide plenty of holes to disappear in.
Life history and behaviour
The Darling Downs earless dragon is diurnal (daytime) and has been observed in exposed areas and perched upon rocks or masses of soil. To avoid detection the species will crouch and freeze and when distrubed, it will disappear into soil cracks or surrounding vegetation. Very little is known of the reproductive biology of this species. Males in breeding colour (canary yellow throat and chin) have been observed in December and a pregnanat female was recorded in November.
The diet of the Darling Downs earless dragon is not well known, but it probably feeds on any small invertebrates. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that ants are a popular food source. Dragons generally eat far more ants than other lizard species.
Threatening processes
A major threat to this species is habitat loss due to land clearing. Potential threats include inappropriate roadside management and feral animals (e.g. feral cats and foxes). As the species has not been recorded from protected areas, localised extinctions could occur on private land if changes in land management practices took place.
Recovery actions
- Identify key habitat and priority areas for conservation in local government regions and develop management guidelines to protect these areas.
- 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.
- Research aspects of the species reproductive biology to the increase knowledge of Darling Downs earless dragon biology and to inform management.
- Conduct community awareness of this species and other priority reptile species in Queensland
What can you do to help this species?
- 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 this species by supporting integrated pest management activities which seek to address feral animal threats (e.g. feral cats, foxes).
- Report sightings of this species to the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) by contacting the WildNet Team via email on WildNet@derm.qld.gov.au
Last updated 7 December 2011