Mount Cooper striped lerista
Common name: Mount Cooper striped lerista
Scientific name: Lerista vittata
Family: Scincidae
Conservation status: The Mount Cooper striped lerista is listed as Vulnerable in Queensland (Nature Conservation Act 1992) and nationally (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). It is ranked as a low priority under the Department of Environment and Resource Management ‘Back on Track’ species prioritisation framework.
Description
A slender shiny skink, the Mount Cooper striped lerista grows up to 60cm and appears virtually limbless. Forelimbs on this species are absent and the small hind limbs have one digit. The upper surface is silvery grey to silvery brown with four narrow dark lines that run from behind the head to the tail. A dark brown side stripe extends from the eye to the tail tip. Juveniles and sub-adults are distinguished by their tails that are flushed with orange.
Habitat and distribution
The species is known only from vine thickets on soft sandy soils where it burrows into leaf litter and loose soil under logs. It is sometimes found in open patches of low vegetation that extend into adjacent woodland on heavier soils. This species is endemic to Queensland and is restricted to a small area around Mt Cooper Station near Charter Towers.
Behaviour and life history
Little is known of the life history and ecology of this species, although other members of the Lerista genus are egg layers and produce small clutches.
The diet of this species is unknown although it is suspected to consist of small arthropods.
Threatening processes
Habitat loss by clearing on thinning would threaten Mount Cooper striped lerista populations. Additional threats include inappropriate fire regimes and weed invasion which degrades habitat.
Recovery actions
- Identify key habitat throughout the Queensland Brigalow Belt (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.
- 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.
- Investigate aspects of the species biology and ecology (e.g. preferred fire regimes) to increase knowledge and inform management.
- Conduct community awareness of this species and other priority reptile species in Queensland.
What can be done to help this species?
- Avoid clearing vine scrub within the species known range to protect habitat and populations.
- Become involved in community-based on-ground projects (e.g. fencing remnants to reduce grazing impacts, weed and feral predator control, reptile monitoring and field surveys) 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 weed and feral animal threats.
- 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 23 February 2011
Last updated 23 July 2010