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Scottsdale Burrowing Crayfish (Engaeus spinicaudatus)

The Scottsdale Burrowing Crayfish is a burrowing freshwater crayfish found only in Tasmania. It occurs in wet buttongrass and heathy plains with peaty, saturated soils, as well as seepages and creek floodplains, which are important habitats to retain during works.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Endangered.

Tasmania, Threatened Species Protection Act 1995: Endangered.

Seasonal planning

Mating occurs from mid-November to late December; females carry eggs and larvae in December and January, and free young have been found in burrows in March.

Seasonal evidence: From published sources for this species.

Timing varies between sites and years.

  • Breeding season: Mating occurs from mid-November to late December; females carry eggs and larvae in December and January, and free young have been found in burrows in March.

Identification: Appearance

Adults have a carapace about 25 millimetres long and are usually brown or purplish.

Adults have a carapace about 25 millimetres long and are usually brown or purplish.

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 found north of Scottsdale in northeast Tasmania, across an area of about 23 square kilometres. The species is endemic to Tasmania.

It is found north of Scottsdale in northeast Tasmania, across an area of about 23 square kilometres. The species is endemic to Tasmania.

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 primarily inhabits wet buttongrass and heathy plains, particularly where soils are peaty and saturated. It also occurs in surface seepages, creek floodplains, wet pasture and some creekbanks in open dry eucalypt forest.

It primarily inhabits wet buttongrass and heathy plains, particularly where soils are peaty and saturated. It also occurs in surface seepages, creek floodplains, wet pasture and some creekbanks in open dry eucalypt forest.

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 makes burrows that tend to be type 2, extending down to connect with the water table.

It makes burrows that tend to be type 2, extending down to connect with the water table.

Threats: Threats

Drainage of swamps, conversion to pasture, siltation of streams and swamps, and pesticide contamination of water are identified as threats.

Drainage of swamps, conversion to pasture, siltation of streams and swamps, and pesticide contamination of water are identified as threats.

Threats: Works risk

Works that drain wetlands, convert or disturb its habitat, increase sediment in streams or swamps, or introduce pesticides to water could harm the species or its 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: Eucalypt forest

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

It also occurs in surface seepages, creek floodplains, wet pasture and some creekbanks in open dry eucalypt forest.

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

Vegetation associations: Heath

It primarily inhabits wet buttongrass and heathy plains, particularly where soils are peaty and saturated.

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.

It occurs in wet buttongrass and heathy plains with peaty, saturated soils, as well as seepages and creek floodplains, which are important habitats to retain during works.

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.

Soil and substrate associations: Peat, bog or waterlogged soils

It primarily inhabits wet buttongrass and heathy plains, particularly where soils are peaty and saturated.

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

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