Cyclodomorphus venustus (a lizard) - endangered species listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the lizard Cyclodomorphus venustus Shea and Miller (1995) as an ENDANGERED SPECIES in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing of endangered species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee found that:

1. Günther's Skink, Cyclodomorphus branchialis, is currently listed as Vulnerable under the Act. Taxonomic revision has since divided  C. branchialis into five separate species, two of which are known from New South Wales (NSW) (Shea and Miller 1995):  C. melanops and  C. venustus.

2. Cyclodomorphus venustus is patchily distributed from the western half of South Australia to south-western Queensland and the north-western corner of NSW. In NSW,  C. venustus is known from only three locations, all within Sturt National Park.

3. Cyclodomorphus venustus is usually light grey, to grey-brown or pink-brown above (Shea and Miller 1995). Individuals reach approximately 160-180mm in total length.

4. Habitat constraints of C. venustus are unknown. All records of the species have been from sites on brown to grey cracking soils in close proximity to ephemeral waterways (G.M. Shea, pers. comm.). The species is semi-fossorial and shelters under litter and probably also in deep cracks in the ground.

5. The size of the C. venustus population within Sturt National Park is not known and it may not ensure the species' survival in NSW. Isolated sub-populations are vulnerable to local extinction via stochastic events such as flood. The habitat of individuals that may occur outside the conservation area is potentially threatened by landuse.

6. In view of the above points, the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Cyclodomorphus venustus Shea and Miller (1995) is likely to become extinct in nature in New South Wales unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate.

Proposed Gazettal date: 06/12/02
Exhibition period: 06/12/02 - 24/01/03

References

Shea, G.M. and Miller, B. (1995). A taxonomic revision of the Cyclodomorphus branchialis species group (Squamata: Scincidae). Records of the Australian Museum 47, 265-325.