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Central North Burrowing Crayfish (Engaeus granulatus)

The Central North Burrowing Crayfish is a Tasmanian endemic found in a restricted area of central northern Tasmania. Swamps, creek floodplains and other poorly drained places with saturated soils are important habitat for the species.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Endangered.

Tasmania, Threatened Species Protection Act 1995: Endangered.

Seasonal planning

Breeding occurs in spring and summer; juveniles disperse during autumn rains.

Seasonal evidence: From published sources for this species.

Timing varies between sites and years.

  • Breeding: Breeding occurs in spring and summer; juveniles disperse during autumn rains.

Identification: Appearance

Prominent granulations on the claws make this species relatively easy to distinguish from other Engaeus crayfish. It is typically less than 10 cm in body length.

Prominent granulations on the claws make this species relatively easy to distinguish from other Engaeus crayfish. It is typically less than 10 cm in body length.

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

The species is restricted to central northern Tasmania, between Devonport in the west, the Asbestos Range in the east and Sheffield to the south. Its colonies are often small and scattered.

The species is restricted to central northern Tasmania, between Devonport in the west, the Asbestos Range in the east and Sheffield to the south. Its colonies are often small and scattered.

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 occurs in swamps, floodplains of small creeks, poorly drained paddocks and roadside or railway ditches. Tea tree swamps and saturated areas are particularly important habitat.

It occurs in swamps, floodplains of small creeks, poorly drained paddocks and roadside or railway ditches. Tea tree swamps and saturated areas are particularly important habitat.

Foraging habitat: Diet

It feeds on decaying organic matter.

It feeds on decaying organic matter.

Breeding habitat: Breeding

Breeding occurs in spring and summer. Juveniles disperse during autumn rains.

Breeding occurs in spring and summer. Juveniles disperse during autumn rains.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter

The crayfish spends most of its life in complex burrow systems connected to the water table. Burrow depth and horizontal spread vary with water availability.

The crayfish spends most of its life in complex burrow systems connected to the water table. Burrow depth and horizontal spread vary with water availability.

Threats: Threats

Habitat loss and fragmentation associated with agricultural development can affect the species. Changes to local hydrology, vegetation clearance and livestock trampling may also damage habitat or burrows.

Habitat loss and fragmentation associated with agricultural development can affect the species. Changes to local hydrology, vegetation clearance and livestock trampling may also damage habitat or burrows.

Threats: Works risk

Land clearing and development can remove or fragment habitat, while drainage and other changes to local hydrology may affect burrows. Livestock can trample burrows, and dense tussock or sedge weeds can impede burrowing by forming compact root mats.

Survey methodology: 1. Species-specific methods

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

Burrows can be difficult to detect without excavation.

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: Wetland or sedgeland

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

It occurs in swamps, floodplains of small creeks, poorly drained paddocks and roadside or railway ditches.

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: TAS.

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: Alluvial flats and floodplains

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

Swamps, creek floodplains and other poorly drained places with saturated soils are important habitat for the species.

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: TAS.

Habitat use: general

Attribution gap: No sentence-level reference is attached to the original profile block. Review the profile bibliography; this candidate is not source-verified.

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 occurs in swamps, floodplains of small creeks, poorly drained paddocks and roadside or railway ditches.

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: TAS.

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