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Blue-black Crayfish (Euastacus jagabar)

The Blue-black Crayfish is a small freshwater crayfish endemic to the montane rainforests of northern New South Wales. It lives in shallow stream-margin habitat in subtropical rainforest, so maintaining cool, flowing streams and their surrounding vegetation is important.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Critically endangered.

Seasonal planning

No species-specific activity or breeding months were found in the published sources used. Use the following as a works-planning prompt, not as seasonal biology.

Seasonal knowledge: Not documented in the sources used.

The month values are a general planning prompt only and do not represent known activity or breeding months for Euastacus jagabar.

  • Plan checks before disturbance: General planning window only. Check the work area before disturbance whenever works are scheduled.

Identification: Appearance

This is a small, lightly spined crayfish. Its upper body ranges from rich tan-brown to dark blue-black, often with blue or green-blue colouring on the head and prominent royal-blue patches on the cheeks.

This is a small, lightly spined crayfish. Its upper body ranges from rich tan-brown to dark blue-black, often with blue or green-blue colouring on the head and prominent royal-blue patches on the cheeks.

Identification: Confirming identity

Confirm the identity of any suspected record with a specialist and a photograph or voucher, as required by the relevant permit.

Distribution: Known range

It is known from five nearby sites in a small section of Sheepstation Creek and one of its tributaries in the Richmond River Basin, in north-eastern New South Wales.

It is known from five nearby sites in a small section of Sheepstation Creek and one of its tributaries in the Richmond River Basin, in north-eastern New South Wales.

Distribution: National mapping

The Commonwealth species distribution model (SNES) maps where the species or its habitat is known, likely or may occur. Use it with local records and site inspection.

Habitat: Habitat

It inhabits shallow stream margins and shallow areas of minor tributaries and sidestreams in subtropical rainforest, at elevations of about 330 to 430 metres. It is associated with permanent water and cool streams.

It inhabits shallow stream margins and shallow areas of minor tributaries and sidestreams in subtropical rainforest, at elevations of about 330 to 430 metres. It is associated with permanent water and cool streams.

Foraging habitat: Diet

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Breeding habitat: Breeding

Females are thought to mature at about 30 mm orbital carapace length, with an estimated 20 to 40 eggs. Very few egg-bearing females have been recorded, and observations have raised concerns about low reproduction.

Females are thought to mature at about 30 mm orbital carapace length, with an estimated 20 to 40 eggs. Very few egg-bearing females have been recorded, and observations have raised concerns about low reproduction.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter

The species has a subterranean habit and has been reported in deep burrow systems in marginal stream habitat.

The species has a subterranean habit and has been reported in deep burrow systems in marginal stream habitat.

Threats: Threats

Drought and climate change may reduce habitat quality, while rising water temperatures and bushfire are identified as concerns. Loss of vegetation canopy over cool, flowing streams can also harm crayfish that require cool water.

Drought and climate change may reduce habitat quality, while rising water temperatures and bushfire are identified as concerns. Loss of vegetation canopy over cool, flowing streams can also harm crayfish that require cool water.

Threats: Works risk

Removing vegetation canopy beside streams could contribute to warming of cool, flowing water used by this species. Activities that degrade its stream-margin habitat or affect the quality of its permanent water could also cause harm.

Survey methodology: 1. Species-specific methods

Use methods consistent with the Commonwealth survey guidelines and engage a specialist with the right permits.

The species has been documented through routine astacological surveys and field surveys, including surveys in 2007 and 2020.

Survey methodology: 2. Commonwealth guidance

For EPBC Act referrals, survey effort and methods should be consistent with the on-ground surveys and data for referred actions under the EPBC Act, read with the Significant impact guidelines 1.1.

Survey methodology: 3. Limits

A non-detection is not proof of absence. Match survey timing to the species and season, and record effort.

Vegetation associations: Rainforest or vine thicket

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

It inhabits shallow stream margins and shallow areas of minor tributaries and sidestreams in subtropical rainforest, at elevations of about 330 to 430 metres.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: NSW.

Habitat use: general

Ecosystem associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific ecosystem association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Soil and substrate associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific soil association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Water and wetland associations: Water-associated habitat mentioned in profile

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

It inhabits shallow stream margins and shallow areas of minor tributaries and sidestreams in subtropical rainforest, at elevations of about 330 to 430 metres.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: NSW.

Habitat use: general

Fauna records and mapped habitat: Not yet analysed

Record locations can be overlaid with mapping, but record frequency alone does not measure habitat preference. No species is excluded from desktop assessments by this analysis.

No quality-controlled record-to-map analysis has been completed for this species. The existing generalised distribution dots and indicative range polygons have not been treated as precise occurrence coordinates.

A defensible run needs dated, independently attributable records, coordinate uncertainty, duplicate and captive-record checks, layer versions and regional scope. Preference and absence require additional survey-effort and detection evidence.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: No supported exclusion recorded

Not recorded is not the same as cannot occur. Low suitability, resident habitat, breeding habitat and occasional movement are different conclusions.

This library has not established a vegetation, ecosystem or soil-type exclusion for this species. This does not mean all habitat is suitable; the evidence needed to justify an exclusion has not been assembled.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: Before using a negative association

  • Confirm the taxon, geographic region, life stage and habitat function covered by the evidence.
  • Check survey methods, season, repeated effort and detectability before interpreting non-detection.
  • Investigate credible contradictory records and microhabitats absent from broad mapping.
  • Do not convert a missing map class, low record count or failed data request into species absence.

Before disturbance: 1. Desktop and approvals

Confirm whether the project could affect the species before works begin.

Check national mapping, state records and recent surveys for the site. An action likely to have a significant impact on this nationally listed species needs EPBC Act referral, and state permits apply where it is state listed.

Before disturbance: 2. Plan to avoid

Design the footprint, timing and access to avoid known or likely habitat, and brief crews on what to look for and who to call.

During disturbance: 1. Controls

Keep works inside the approved footprint and conditions.

Fence or mark habitat to be retained and keep machinery, stockpiles and spoil out of it.

During disturbance: 2. Stop and report

If the species is found unexpectedly, stop work at that spot and contact the project ecologist and the relevant agency.

After disturbance: 1. Records

Record outcomes.

Record sightings, habitat lost or retained and any injury or death, and report them under the approval conditions.

Rehabilitation: 1. Restore

Restore disturbed habitat where possible.

Reinstate disturbed ground with local species, return logs, rocks and litter, and control weeds and erosion until the site is stable.

Sources