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Coastal Plains Skink (Ctenotus ora)

The Coastal Plains Skink is a Western Australian skink known from sandy parts of the south-west, including the Swan Coastal Plain. Its habitat is in a region subject to development, so works in suitable sandy areas should include cautious survey and management. It is classified as DBCA Priority 3, a priority category rather than a listing under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, and has no national listing.

Conservation status

Western Australia, WA Threatened and Priority Fauna List: Priority 3.

Seasonal planning

Seasonal activity, breeding and survey information are not documented for this species. Use year-round planning and adapt timing to project conditions and ecologist advice.

Breeding season: Not recorded.

Survey season: No species-specific survey season or detectability information is recorded.

No taxon-specific seasonal pattern is established.

  • Survey and works planning: Planning window only. Seasonal activity and breeding timing are unknown; these months do not represent a species-specific activity period.

Identification: Appearance and size

Use the reported colour and stripe pattern as identification clues, while allowing for confusion with other Ctenotus skinks.

The back is smooth and copper-brown, with a continuous white dorsolateral line. The species lacks vertebral stripes and white specks above the dorsolateral line.

No body measurements are recorded. It is described as smaller than Ctenotus lancelini.

Identification: Similar species

Ctenotus lancelini is a close relative. C. ora is described as smaller, generally darker and without vertebral stripes. Ctenotus labillardieri has a different dorsal appearance: C. ora has a smooth copper-brown back and lacks white specks above the dorsolateral line.

C. ora is also distinguished from C. gemmula, C. delli and C. catenifer by its continuous white dorsolateral line, and from C. youngsoni by its smaller size and sharper dorsal pattern.

Identification: Field signs

Species-specific tracks, shed-skin signs, calls and other field signs have not been recorded. Treat a direct sighting as provisional if the stripe pattern and colour are not clearly visible.

Distribution: Known range

Records place the species in south-west Western Australia, with a limited set of mapped locations.

The reported range is south-west Western Australia. The type locality is Cape Naturaliste. Atlas of Living Australia records show 26 Western Australian records at 12 distinct 0.1-degree locations, spanning latitude -33.7 to -31.9 and longitude 115 to 116. Records outside Western Australia were excluded as likely errors.

Distribution: WA regions and status

The DBCA priority list flags the Swan and South West regions. The species is Priority 3 and is described as poorly known, known from several locations and not under imminent threat. It has no national listing.

Habitat: Recorded habitat

The main habitat association is sandy areas south of Perth.

Ctenotus ora is a habitat specialist occurring primarily in sandy regions south of Perth. Vegetation types, soil depths, condition requirements and the range of habitats used within those sandy regions have not been specified.

Habitat: Site interpretation

Treat sandy ground within the known south-west range as potentially suitable for assessment rather than assuming a site is unsuitable because records are absent. There is no finer habitat model.

Foraging habitat: Diet and foraging

The species’ diet and foraging behaviour have not been documented.

Prey, foraging locations and foraging times are not known. Do not infer taxon-specific foraging habitat from the general sandy habitat description.

Foraging habitat: Field precaution

During site assessment, record observations of any skinks and their precise locations for an ecologist to review. Describe an area as feeding habitat only where direct evidence or further reliable information supports that conclusion.

Breeding habitat: Known information

Breeding habitat and reproductive timing are poorly known.

The breeding period, nesting or egg-laying location, clutch size and information about young have not been recorded. No particular month or site feature is established as a breeding indicator for this species.

Breeding habitat: Planning precaution

Plan surveys and works on the basis that breeding requirements are unknown. If a possible nest, eggs or young are found, pause disturbance nearby and seek advice from the project ecologist.

Sheltering habitat: Known information

Specific shelter sites and sheltering behaviour have not been documented.

Burrows, litter, logs, rocks, vegetation and other features have not been identified as shelters used by Ctenotus ora.

Sheltering habitat: Field precaution

As general practice when searching for skinks, inspect suitable ground cover and potential refuges carefully, without assuming that a particular refuge type is species-specific. Replace moved cover where safe and practical.

Threats: Development context

Development pressure in the species’ sandy range is identified, but a full threat assessment is not available.

The taxonomic description reports intense development in the sandy regions south of Perth where the species occurs. This is relevant context for works planning, but impacts have not been quantified and particular site-level threats have not been identified.

Threats: Priority status

The species is DBCA Priority 3. It is poorly known, known from several locations and not under imminent threat.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Species-specific survey methods and detectability information are not established. Use cautious general skink survey practice and qualified identification.

Check whether the site lies within the known south-west range and includes sandy areas. Review available records and previous site reports. Do not assume the species is absent because no records are mapped.

Survey methodology: 2. Field searches

As general practice for skinks, carry out systematic visual searches of suitable ground and inspect potential refuges carefully where this can be done without damaging habitat. Record the search area, conditions, effort, observations and any limitations.

A preferred survey season, survey effort, detectability and validated species-specific method have not been reported.

Survey methodology: 3. Identification and records

Photograph a suspected animal where practicable, including clear views of the back and sides. Record the location and retain the images for review by a suitably experienced ecologist. Do not rely on a single colour feature if the diagnostic pattern is unclear.

Vegetation associations

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

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

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: Sandy soils or sand

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

Its habitat is in a region subject to development, so works in suitable sandy areas should include cautious survey and management.

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: WA.

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

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

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

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 habitat disturbance: 1. Review and plan

Prepare for works by checking the site against the limited known range and allowing for uncertainty in habitat and detection.

Confirm the work footprint and identify sandy areas within it. Review species records and engage an ecologist to determine whether targeted survey or additional advice is appropriate.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Brief the crew

Brief spotter catchers and clearing crews on the reported appearance, the possibility of confusion with other Ctenotus, and the requirement to stop and report a suspected animal. Agree on a clear stop-work and escalation process before clearing begins.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Set precautions

Where suitable habitat is present, minimise the area disturbed and avoid unnecessary movement of ground cover. Establish a process for recording observations and obtaining ecologist advice before work resumes after a possible detection.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Clear progressively

Work carefully in sandy areas and respond promptly to any possible skink encounter.

Keep clearing within the approved footprint and proceed in manageable stages so that the spotter catcher can check the active work area. Avoid unnecessary disturbance to adjacent sandy habitat.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Respond to a sighting

If a possible Ctenotus ora is seen, pause work in the immediate area, keep people and machinery clear, and notify the project ecologist or spotter catcher. Record the location and photograph the animal if this can be done safely without delaying an appropriate response.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handle only if authorised

Do not attempt to handle or relocate an animal unless this is within the person’s authority, competence and approved project procedures. Follow the ecologist’s advice and applicable approvals before resuming disturbance.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Record outcomes

Document outcomes and use any detections to improve decisions for remaining habitat.

Record survey effort, habitat observations, work areas, any suspected or confirmed detections, and actions taken. Submit records through the project’s agreed reporting process.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Review remaining areas

Ask the project ecologist to review new information and assess whether work methods or precautions should change in remaining sandy habitat. A non-detection does not prove that the species is absent.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Reinstate disturbed ground

Species-specific rehabilitation requirements have not been established.

Use the approved site rehabilitation plan to stabilise and reinstate disturbed sandy ground. Keep rehabilitation within the authorised footprint and avoid introducing unapproved materials or vegetation.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Track recovery

Document the areas treated and any follow-up observations. Recovery targets, planting specifications and a monitoring period for Ctenotus ora have not been established, so set these through the project ecologist and relevant approvals.

Sources