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Mud Gully Crayfish (Euastacus dalagarbe)

The Mud Gully Crayfish is a very small freshwater crayfish found in north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. It lives in rainforest gullies and small headwater streams, including places where surface water is absent or very low for part of the year.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Critically endangered.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: 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 dalagarbe.

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

Identification: Appearance

A very small crayfish in the dwarf group, associated with muddy gullies.

A very small crayfish in the dwarf group, associated with muddy gullies.

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 has a small, restricted range in the Border Ranges of north-eastern New South Wales and southern Lamington National Park in south-eastern Queensland, at about 570 to 1,000 m elevation.

It has a small, restricted range in the Border Ranges of north-eastern New South Wales and southern Lamington National Park in south-eastern Queensland, at about 570 to 1,000 m elevation.

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 moist rainforest gullies and small streams, including sites with little or no surface water for much of the year. It uses burrows in muddy or red-clay ground and can also shelter under rocks and vegetative debris.

It inhabits moist rainforest gullies and small streams, including sites with little or no surface water for much of the year. It uses burrows in muddy or red-clay ground and can also shelter under rocks and vegetative debris.

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

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter

It shelters in complex burrows, including burrows beneath rocks in red clay that reach subsurface water. It may also be found under rocks and vegetative debris.

It shelters in complex burrows, including burrows beneath rocks in red clay that reach subsurface water. It may also be found under rocks and vegetative debris.

Threats: Threats

Drought, bushfire and rising water temperatures are identified as threats, and drought has eliminated the species from some upper stream sections. Habitat destruction and illegal fishing are also reported threats.

Drought, bushfire and rising water temperatures are identified as threats, and drought has eliminated the species from some upper stream sections. Habitat destruction and illegal fishing are also reported threats.

Threats: Works risk

Clearing or ground disturbance in rainforest gullies could damage the habitat and burrows it uses. Works that reduce water availability or raise water temperatures may also affect its small-stream habitat.

Survey methodology: 1. Commonwealth guidance

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

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: 2. Limits

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

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: Clay soils

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

It uses burrows in muddy or red-clay ground and can also shelter under rocks and vegetative debris.

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, QLD.

Habitat use: general

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 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