Stony Downs Ctenotus (Ctenotus astarte)

Conservation status

South Australia, National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972: Rare.

Breeding season

Seasonal breeding timing is not documented for the stony downs ctenotus. For works in Queensland and South Australia, treat the warmer months as the period of greatest surface activity and possible breeding, with local rainfall and temperature likely to affect timing.

Breeding mode: Not recorded. Manage as a potentially egg-laying skink until local information confirms otherwise.

Breeding timing: Not recorded.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Breeding sites: Not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Timing may shift between years and regions with rainfall, temperature, soil conditions and local habitat, so confirm activity through site surveys before clearing.

• General surface activity: Warm conditions generally increase activity by terrestrial skinks, while cooler periods can reduce surface activity.
• Potential mating and laying period: Use September to February as a precautionary period for possible mating and egg laying because species-specific timing is not recorded.
• Potential eggs and dependent young: Retain suitable ground cover and inspect likely shelter sites during the warmer months, when eggs or young may be present.
• Highest clearing risk: Plan searches, staged clearing and careful handling from September to February to reduce the chance of harming eggs, young or active animals.

Identification: Appearance and size

The stony downs ctenotus is a poorly known terrestrial skink. A confirmed identification may require a clear photograph, close examination by an experienced herpetologist or specialist review.

A reliable description of the species' colour pattern, body markings and scale features is not established here. Do not identify it from habitat alone.

Size and weight should not be estimated unless the animal is safely contained and measured under an approved handling procedure.

Identification: Calls and similar species

No diagnostic call or echolocation feature is associated with this species. Identification should rely on photographs, scale and colour characters, locality and expert comparison with other Ctenotus species.

• Avoid assigning a species name from a distant sighting or a brief view of a fast-moving skink.
• Record the exact location and habitat whenever a possible animal is seen.

Identification: Field signs

Skinks may leave little obvious evidence after moving through a site. Droppings, nests, whitewash, stains and odour are not reliable field signs for this species.

• Look for live animals beneath or beside loose rocks, timber, litter, grass tussocks and other ground cover.
• Photograph the animal in place where safe, including the head, body, limbs and tail.
• Do not turn over heavy objects or dismantle refuges without an approved fauna handling and reinstatement procedure.

Identification: Handling and confirmation

Treat a suspected animal as protected fauna until its identity and applicable approval requirements are confirmed. Use a qualified fauna spotter catcher for capture, handling and relocation decisions.

• Keep handling time short and avoid exposure to heat.
• Record the date, time, GPS location, photographs, habitat and any disturbance occurring nearby.
• Submit uncertain records to a suitably experienced reptile ecologist.

Distribution: Australian range

The stony downs ctenotus is mapped in Queensland and South Australia. Queensland records describe it as a Queensland endemic, so the apparent South Australian mapping should be checked against current state records and the relevant population or taxonomic treatment before a project decision is made.

The species is associated with the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion in Queensland and is also listed for South Australia. The available Queensland dataset records 28 sightings and 20 specimens, with the latest listed record dated 27 April 2017.

• Queensland, including the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion.
• South Australia, where the species is listed as Rare.

Distribution: Site records and database limits

Queensland Mitchell Grass Downs reporting lists 10 records and 5 specimens, with the latest listed record dated 28 October 2009. These figures are database records, not a measure of current population size.

• A mapped absence does not demonstrate that the species is absent.
• Some area reports include records up to 1 kilometre outside the nominated area.
• Locations may have precision of up to 10,000 metres in the reporting dataset.

Distribution: Pre-clearance planning

Check current state species layers, previous approvals and local records before works begin. A lack of recent records should not be used by itself to remove survey or avoidance measures.

• Give extra attention to sites within or near the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion.
• Confirm whether any South Australian record relates to the same taxon, population or subspecies covered by the Rare listing.
• Plan a suitably qualified reptile survey where clearing affects likely ground refuges or intact terrestrial habitat.

Habitat: Ground layer and landform

Detailed habitat requirements are not well established for the stony downs ctenotus. During site inspections, assess the full ground layer and the surrounding landscape rather than relying only on vegetation type.

Inspect open terrestrial areas with rocks, compacted or cracking ground, grass tussocks, leaf litter, fallen timber and other objects that can provide cover. These features are general reptile habitat indicators and are not confirmed as exclusive requirements for this species.

• Rocky patches and stony rises.
• Loose surface stones, slabs and crevices.
• Dense grass bases, litter and fallen timber.
• Edges between intact ground cover and disturbed areas.

Habitat: Vegetation and condition

Record the dominant vegetation, ground cover, bare ground, surface debris and evidence of grazing or cultivation. Retain a description of adjoining intact habitat because small skinks may use cover beyond the immediate clearing footprint.

• Map patches of native ground cover separately from heavily disturbed areas.
• Record connected habitat and nearby refuges, not only the proposed clearing area.
• Avoid assuming that a modified site is unoccupied without a targeted inspection.

Habitat: Site assessment

Use a walkover to identify potential refuges, tracks, spoil piles and construction materials that may shelter reptiles. Mark any confirmed animal locations and high-quality refuge areas before machinery enters the site.

• Inspect proposed access tracks, laydown areas, trenches and stockpile locations.
• Include habitat within the work footprint and immediately beside it.
• Recheck areas where rocks, timber or other cover will be moved.

Foraging habitat: Likely foraging areas

The species' diet and detailed foraging habitat are not established. Manage the site on the basis that it may forage across the ground layer and use several adjoining cover types.

Search around grass bases, leaf litter, loose stones, fallen timber and the edges of bare ground. These are sensible search locations for a small terrestrial skink, but they should not be treated as confirmed species-specific preferences.

• Keep observations focused on the ground surface and low cover.
• Survey around the margins of proposed clearing as well as within it.
• Record recent fire, grazing, cultivation and vehicle disturbance that may affect ground activity.

Foraging habitat: Maintaining foraging habitat

Limit unnecessary removal of ground cover and surface debris. Stage clearing so fauna spotters can inspect each area before disturbance and so undisturbed cover remains available nearby.

• Keep machinery within approved work areas.
• Avoid broad scraping or grading outside the design footprint.
• Do not leave open trenches or deep excavations unattended where animals could become trapped.
• Reinstate suitable surface cover where this is consistent with the approved rehabilitation plan.

Breeding habitat: Potential breeding features

Breeding places, breeding timing, clutch size and juvenile development are not established for the stony downs ctenotus. Because breeding habitat is uncertain, avoid disturbing potential refuges during the breeding season unless a qualified ecologist has assessed the risk and controls are in place.

Inspect sheltered ground features that could protect eggs or young, including spaces beneath rocks, timber, litter, dense grass and soil cavities. These are precautionary search targets, not confirmed breeding places for this species.

• Do not assume that the absence of a visible nest means breeding is not occurring.
• Treat occupied refuges and repeated sightings as areas requiring additional assessment.
• Keep cleared material separate until it has been checked by the fauna spotter catcher.

Breeding habitat: Timing and sensitivity

No reliable breeding months are established. Schedule pre-clearance inspections as close as practicable to clearing and maintain fauna supervision throughout staged works.

• Avoid unnecessary disturbance of likely refuges during periods of warm or active reptile weather.
• Stop work if adults, juveniles or a suspected breeding place are found.
• Obtain advice on any required species management program or approval before disturbing a breeding place in Queensland.

Breeding habitat: Construction controls

Use progressive clearing from the retained habitat towards the open area, where appropriate and safe. Keep a clear procedure for capture, temporary containment and release that has been approved for the project.

• Inspect vegetation, rocks, timber and other ground cover before removal.
• Do not bury, burn or crush potential refuges before inspection.
• Record all captures, releases and mortalities and report them through the project incident process.

Sheltering habitat: Refuge features

The stony downs ctenotus is expected to need ground-level shelter from heat, predators and disturbance, but its specific shelter sites are not documented. Retain and inspect natural cover wherever practicable.

Potential refuges include loose rocks, rock crevices, fallen timber, leaf litter, grass bases and small soil cavities. Check these features by sight and with careful lifting only where the method is safe and authorised.

• Inspect the underside and edges of loose cover rather than pulling it apart unnecessarily.
• Check stored materials, pipe stacks, pallets and rubble before they are moved.
• Replace natural cover in its original position where no animal is present and the project plan allows.

Sheltering habitat: Clearing and capture

A fauna spotter catcher should be present for clearing that removes likely shelter. Use slow, staged clearing and allow time to detect animals before ground disturbance progresses.

• Do not handle animals without the required authority, training and equipment.
• Keep captured skinks shaded and protected from extreme temperatures.
• Release animals only at an approved nearby location with suitable cover, or follow the project ecologist's direction.
• Inspect open trenches, pits and excavations regularly and provide escape measures where required.

Threats: Habitat loss and fragmentation

Species-specific threats have not been established, so project controls should address the main ways clearing and construction can harm a small terrestrial skink. The South Australian Rare listing warrants a precautionary approach and targeted survey before disturbance.

Clearing can remove ground cover, refuges and potential breeding places. Fragmentation can also isolate remaining habitat and expose animals to heat, predators and vehicles.

• Minimise the clearing footprint and retain connected native ground cover.
• Fence and clearly mark no-go areas before machinery arrives.
• Keep access tracks, stockpiles and laydown areas out of retained habitat.
• Rehabilitate disturbed ground with locally appropriate cover where required.

Threats: Direct injury and mortality

Grading, scraping, rock removal, slashing, trenching and vehicle movements can kill or injure animals that are hidden in the ground layer. Progressive clearing with fauna supervision reduces this risk.

• Complete pre-clearance checks immediately before works.
• Use a spotter catcher during habitat removal and high-risk ground disturbance.
• Stop work for a confirmed sighting, capture, injury or suspected breeding place until the fauna procedure is applied.
• Record and report incidents.

Threats: Changed fire, grazing and ground condition

Changes to fire frequency, grazing pressure, weed cover, erosion and soil disturbance may reduce shelter and foraging opportunities. Manage these pressures across the retained habitat, not only inside the construction footprint.

• Prevent unnecessary vehicle compaction and repeated traffic over retained ground cover.
• Control weeds and erosion under an approved ecological management plan.
• Avoid broad disturbance of stones, litter, timber and grass bases.

Threats: Legal status and survey response

South Australia lists the species as Rare. In Queensland, the cited species listing is Least Concern under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, while near threatened animals are protected wildlife and disturbance of a breeding place may require a species management program.

• Apply the higher level of survey and avoidance control required by the project approval, state legislation and current species databases.
• Use targeted pre-clearance surveys for proposed clearing in likely habitat, especially in South Australia and in areas with recent records.
• Obtain state agency or ecological advice before disturbing a suspected breeding place.
• Do not rely on a database absence to clear a site without assessment.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The stony downs ctenotus is poorly known, so surveys should combine desktop checks with targeted searches of suitable terrestrial habitat. Use a qualified ecologist to set the final method, effort and permit conditions for the site.

Check current records, habitat mapping, previous survey reports and the latest state listing before planning works. Confirm whether the project is in Queensland or South Australia and apply the relevant approval and permit requirements.

Treat an absence of records as inconclusive. WildNet records can be revised, and a species may be present even where it is not listed for a particular area.

• Map areas with intact or partly intact native ground cover, surface rocks, fallen timber, soil cracks and other potential refuges.
• Review planned clearing, access tracks, stockpiles, laydown areas and construction footprints.
• Identify adjoining habitat that could receive animals during staged clearing or rehabilitation.

Survey methodology: 2. Targeted searches

Survey during suitable weather when skinks are likely to be active, rather than during cold, very wet or excessively hot conditions. Repeat searches across representative habitat and more than one suitable survey period where the project risk warrants it.

Use systematic daytime searches by experienced herpetologists. Walk slowly through the site and inspect ground cover, rocks, fallen timber, soil edges and other likely refuges without damaging habitat.

Hand capture, pitfall trapping or funnel trapping may be considered where visual searches are unlikely to be adequate. Use these methods only under an approved survey design, with animal welfare controls and any required permits.

• Search all habitat types within the disturbance footprint and a suitable adjoining area.
• Record search dates, start and finish times, observers, weather, ground conditions, survey method and the area covered.
• Stop or modify searches if heat, rain, fire risk or other conditions could harm animals or reduce detection.

Survey methodology: 3. Records and identification

Record every observation, including animals seen outside the clearing footprint. Obtain a clear photograph where this can be done without handling or delaying the animal.

Have uncertain identifications checked by a suitably experienced herpetologist. The available species profile does not provide diagnostic features or similar-species information, so identification should not rely on an unverified field impression.

• Record GPS location, habitat, microhabitat, behaviour, direction of movement and whether the animal was captured or released.
• Record evidence of possible breeding activity, including juveniles, gravid females, eggs, nests, burrows or repeated use of a refuge.
• Submit records to the relevant state database or project biodiversity register in the format required by the approval.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Plan works around the species risk before machinery arrives. The stony downs ctenotus is listed as Rare in South Australia and is treated here as an EVNT species, while Queensland records identify it as least concern under the NCA, so the applicable state approval pathway must be checked for each project.

Confirm the species status, land tenure and approval conditions for the work area. The conservation context supplied for this project maps the species in Queensland and South Australia, with a South Australian Rare listing.

Consider an EPBC referral if the project may affect a matter protected under the EPBC Act. The available Queensland profile does not list an EPBC status for this species, so obtain a current database and regulatory check rather than assuming no referral is needed.

In Queensland, obtain any required authority under the Nature Conservation Act and prepare a species management program where the relevant near threatened animal provisions apply, including provisions concerning tampering with a breeding place. In South Australia, obtain any permit or approval required for a Rare species under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.

• Keep approvals, permits, maps, conditions and contact details available at the work front.
• Nominate the ecologist or fauna spotter catcher responsible for compliance decisions.
• Do not rely on a general clearing approval if a species-specific condition or permit applies.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and pre-clearance survey

Avoid clearing occupied or suitable habitat wherever practicable. Retain connected native ground cover and surface refuges outside the footprint, and keep access, parking and stockpiles within already disturbed areas.

Complete a pre-clearance survey close enough to the start of works that the result remains reliable. The survey should cover the full disturbance area and likely movement areas around it.

There is no reliable breeding season or migration period established in the available profile. Use a precautionary approach and obtain project-specific ecological advice before setting seasonal work restrictions.

• Mark no-go areas and retained habitat clearly on plans and on the ground.
• Set buffers around confirmed animals, breeding places and important refuge areas using site-specific ecological advice and approval conditions.
• Do not disturb rocks, timber, soil refuges or other potential shelter unnecessarily during the survey.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Exclusion and crew induction

Use exclusion fencing or other controls where they can prevent entry into retained habitat or keep animals away from active work areas. Inspect barriers before work and after heavy weather or site changes.

Induct all workers, operators and subcontractors before clearing. Explain the species identification process, stop-work authority, handling restrictions, exclusion zones and reporting procedure.

• Display a site map showing no-go areas, access routes and the fauna handling point.
• Tell operators to check beneath and around equipment before moving it.
• Prohibit workers from collecting, keeping, relocating or harming animals.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence and keep a qualified fauna spotter catcher at the work front where animals may be encountered. Work must stop when an animal, possible breeding place or other unexpected biodiversity constraint is found.

Clear from the disturbed area towards retained habitat where this is safe and consistent with the approved method. Use staged clearing so animals have an opportunity to move away from machinery.

Use hand clearing around retained vegetation, surface refuges and suspected shelter areas where machinery could cause avoidable harm.

The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop machinery, change the clearing sequence and establish a temporary exclusion area.

• Keep machinery speed and the active clearing area as small as practicable.
• Inspect felled material, disturbed ground and exposed refuges before removal or burial.
• Do not burn, mulch, bury or transport material until the spotter catcher has checked it.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Animal handling and breeding places

Only authorised and suitably trained personnel may capture or handle a stony downs ctenotus. Use the least stressful method and release the animal at an approved nearby location with suitable shelter, unless the permit or ecologist directs otherwise.

If an active breeding place, nest, burrow, refuge used by dependent young, colony or other possible breeding site is found, stop work in the immediate area. Protect the site and obtain advice from the project ecologist and the relevant regulator before proceeding.

Do not assume that a lack of visible eggs or young means a site is inactive.

• Establish a temporary exclusion zone and keep people, vehicles and domestic animals out.
• Photograph and record the place without unnecessary disturbance.
• Resume work only when the ecologist confirms the method and any approval condition are satisfied.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Injured or dead animals

If an animal is injured, stop work around it and keep the area quiet. Have it assessed and transported by an authorised wildlife carer, veterinarian or other approved fauna professional.

Do not provide food, water or medication unless directed by the treating professional. Do not release an injured animal without veterinary or ecological advice.

• Record the location, apparent cause, condition, photographs and people involved.
• Notify the project manager, fauna ecologist and regulator when required by the approval or permit.
• Secure any injured animal in an appropriate ventilated container only under authorised direction.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Daily records

Maintain a fauna register throughout clearing. Records should be completed on the day and checked by the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist.

Report repeated sightings, mortality, near misses, breaches of exclusion zones and changes to habitat conditions promptly.

• Record date, time, location, species, number of animals, action taken and final outcome.
• Record the machinery, clearing activity and operator involved in each incident.
• Retain photographs, GPS data, permits, release details and regulator notifications with the project records.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Do not treat completion of mechanical clearing as the end of fauna management. Check the cleared area, close out incidents and confirm that retained habitat and approval conditions remain secure.

Complete a systematic inspection after each clearing stage and again before the area is handed over for construction. Search exposed refuges, debris, equipment and edges of retained habitat.

Remove or secure temporary fauna hazards such as open trenches, uncovered pits and materials that can trap animals. Provide safe escape routes where an opening cannot be closed immediately.

• Check that no animals remain within the work area or trapped in infrastructure.
• Confirm that exclusion fencing and no-go markers are intact.
• Document any animals found after clearing and manage them under the approved fauna procedure.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Relocated animals

Check release locations after relocation where this is required by the permit or project method. Confirm that animals were released into suitable retained habitat and were not placed in an active work area.

Avoid repeated capture and relocation. Review the clearing sequence if animals continue to be found in the construction footprint.

• Record release location, date, time, habitat condition, animal condition and the person responsible.
• Do not move animals across roads, into unsuitable habitat or outside the approved release area without ecological advice.
• Use follow-up observations to identify whether additional exclusion or work controls are needed.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Reporting and review

Complete all statutory and project reporting within the required timeframe. Include positive records, mortalities, injuries, breeding-place findings, permit breaches and corrective actions.

Hold a short incident review after each unexpected impact or repeated fauna encounter. Update the clearing method and crew induction before work resumes.

• Compare actual impacts with approval conditions and the fauna management plan.
• Notify the regulator when a permit or approval requires notification.
• Store the final fauna register, maps, photographs and monitoring results with the project close-out records.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Habitat restoration

Rehabilitation should restore functioning terrestrial habitat rather than provide generic wildlife structures. Because the species profile does not establish suitable artificial breeding structures, use natural ground habitat and seek species-specific advice before installing any structure.

Re-establish native ground cover and retain or reinstate natural surface shelter such as suitable rocks, fallen timber and soil features where these occur naturally at the site.

Use locally appropriate native plants and soil treatments. Avoid creating bare, compacted or heavily disturbed edges that increase exposure and reduce refuge.

Maintain connections between rehabilitated areas and retained habitat where practicable.

• Protect rehabilitated areas from vehicles, grazing pressure and unnecessary maintenance.
• Use weed-free soil, mulch and machinery where practicable.
• Control weeds with methods that avoid harm to sheltering reptiles and follow the project environmental plan.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Water, fire and site conditions

Manage drainage so rehabilitation is not eroded, waterlogged or isolated from surrounding habitat. The species is terrestrial, and artificial water points should not be installed as a substitute for suitable ground habitat.

Plan fire management with the land manager and ecologist. Avoid broad, high-intensity disturbance to recovering ground cover where a lower-impact approach is available.

• Prevent sediment, chemicals and construction waste from entering retained or rehabilitated habitat.
• Keep lighting directed away from retained habitat and use the lowest practical intensity and duration.
• Inspect rehabilitation after heavy rain, fire, construction activity and weed treatment.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Artificial structures

Nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites and roost structures are not a routine mitigation measure for this terrestrial skink. Do not install them unless a suitably qualified ecologist confirms that a structure is relevant to this species and provides a design and monitoring method.

Prioritise natural refuges over generic boxes. Any replacement refuge should be based on local habitat features and approval conditions.

• Do not place boxes or shelters where they increase predation, trapping, heat exposure or worker conflict.
• Document the purpose, location, design, installation date and maintenance responsibility for any approved artificial refuge.
• Remove or modify a structure if monitoring shows that it is unsafe or unsuitable.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Long-term monitoring

Set monitoring duration and methods according to the listing, project impacts and regulator conditions. For a Rare or EVNT population, use repeat searches in rehabilitated and retained habitat and compare results with nearby reference areas where practical.

For Queensland projects, confirm whether monitoring is required by a species management program or other approval. Review the plan if records decline, mortality occurs or rehabilitation fails.

• Record survey effort, weather, observers, locations, habitat condition and all detections.
• Track weed cover, ground cover, refuge condition, fire impacts and unauthorised access.
• Use monitoring results to adjust weed control, access management, lighting, rehabilitation methods and future clearing practices.

Sources

• Reptiles of Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD) bioregion, Queensland Government WetlandInfo: https://wetlandinfo.detsi.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/wildlife/?AreaID=bioregion-mitchell-grass-downs-mgd&Kingdom=animals&Class=reptiles
• Reptiles of Queensland - WetlandInfo, Queensland Government WetlandInfo: https://wetlandinfo.detsi.qld.gov.au/wetlands/facts-maps/wildlife/?AreaID=queensland&Kingdom=animals&Class=reptiles
• Occurrence records for the distribution map, Atlas of Living Australia: https://biocache.ala.org.au/