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Common Name Species Distribution Conservation Status FFG DSE/IUCN Lily Pilly Engaeus australis Wilsons Promontory Critically Vulnerable/ Burrowing Endangered Near Threatened Crayfish Lowland Engaeus quadrimanus Melbourne to Mallacoota Burrowing Crayfish Gippsland Engaeus hemicirratulus South & Central Gippsland Burrowing Crayfish Granular Engaeus cunicularius South Gippsland, Bass Strait, Burrowing including islands, Tasmania Crayfish Narracan Engaeus phyllocercus Warragul/Narracan districts Endangered Endangered/ Burrowing Endangered Crayfish Richards Engaeus laevis South & East Gippsland, -/Data Deficient Burrowing Tasmania Crayfish South Gippsland Engaeus karnanga South Gippsland, bound by Endangered Endangered/ Burrowing Wilsons Promontory, Data Deficient Crayfish Kongwak and Boolara Strzelecki Engaeus rostrogaleatus Strzelecki Ranges Endangered Endangered/ Burrowing Endangered Crayfish Warragul Engaeus sternalis Tarago region, Drouin & Critically Critically Burrowing Warragul Endangered Endangered/ Crayfish Critically Endangered Further Information: • FFG - Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 • DSE - Department of Sustainability and Environment currently known as Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Advisory List for Threatened Invertebrates • IUCN - International Union For The Conservation of Nature

Table of Burrowing Crayfish found in West Gippsland

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Table of Burrowing Crayfish found in West Gippsland - Distinguishing Features of Species and Habitat

Common Name Species Main Habitat Burrow / Chimney Distinguishing Features Lily Pilly Engaeus Rostral carinae (anterior Found in variety of vegetation Burrows close to or up to 20 m from Burrowing australis projection of head) fuse types at Wilsons Promontory creek. Chimneys vary from indistinct Crayfish together anteriorly with in flood beds and bars, flood to rim or fan shaped. Burrows can be shell to non-existent plains of creeks, lower hillslopes down to the water-table or on depression in between. and roadside drainage channels. hillslopes where they rely on run-off Bright red to orange rather than extend to the water table. gray colouration. Lowland Engaeus Very similar to Similar to E. cunicularius and Burrows occur above and below the Burrowing quadrimanus E. cunicularius but top occupy a wide variety of mean water table level on creek Crayfish side of dactyl is smooth. habitats. banks or may be more complex in May be difficult to floodplains. distinguish in the field and can only be Build tall, conical pelleted chimneys discerned as adults which may have multiple openings. (>50-60 mm total length). Gippsland Engaeus Body and claws usually Found in burrows that are not Construct fan shaped chimneys. Burrowing hemicirratulus bright orange with long reliant on water table. Can be Burrows can have multiple Crayfish stiff hairs. They can also found some distance from entrances. Have long, vertical be entirely pale cream in watercourse, e.g. hillslopes. burrows that terminate in large, colour. water-filled chambers. Granular Engaeus Body brownish, bluish Can be found on junction of Similar to E. quadrimanus. Build tall, Burrowing cunicularius or dark orange. Top bank and creek or more typically pelleted chimneys which may have Crayfish surface of dactyl found in floodplains and multiple openings. (moveable part of claw) water-logged seepages. is granulated (bumpy). Narracan Engaeus Distinguished by its Found typically in the flood-bed Chimneys tall, conical pellets. Burrowing phyllocercus leaf-like uropods (tail). regions of ferny gullies in wet Burrows down to the water table or Crayfish Range in colour from sclerophyll forest and on creek with lateral ramifications under dark purple hues to banks. tree-fern root mats. bright orange and red colouration. Richards Engaeus Distinguished by Found in flood plains or near Construct simple, short straight Burrowing laevis presence of large standing or permanent water. shafted burrows in the banks of Crayfish penes, conspicuously creeks and can be collected in dip raised orbital ridges and nets in spring when they are free distinctive shaped swimming. sternal keel. Isomorphic (same size) claws. South Engaeus Burrows occur in the flood plain Often shallow, horizontal burrows Gippsland karnanga region of Lilly Pilly Gully at under logs and root mats. Burrowing Wilsons Promontory under logs Crayfish and fern root mats. Strzelecki Engaeus Distinguished by Found typically in the flood-bed Burrows often located at the base of Burrowing rostrogaleatus distinctive rostrum regions and boggy seepages tree ferns. Others extend down to Crayfish (Anterior projection of of ferny gullies in wet the water table. Burrows 1-8 head) which is sclerophyll forest. openings surrounded by rim, fan or tuberculate, blunt and pelleted chimneys, some over projected downwards. 10 cm tall. Colours olive brown or purple with orange legs. Claws orange to olive and blue with bright orange tips. Warragul Engaeus Smallest of these Labertouche-Creek banks in Build narrow, winding burrows in Burrowing sternalis crayfish. Pale yellow / swampy riparian woodland. clays down to water table but Crayfish cream to steel blue. crayfish can reside in lateral Very small eyes. Warragul and Drouin - Banks ramifications in the upper levels of Carapace and claws of creeks, drainage lines and main burrow system in small are covered with fine flood plains in pasture. chambers of “gooey” clay. downy hairs. Chimneys small, with spherical balls or soil surrounding small entrance.