Threatened Burrowing Crayfish of
West Gippsland
All photographs © Dr. Beverley Van Praagh, Invert-Eco unless otherwise stated. No image may be saved, copied, reproduced or distributed without prior permission from the copyright owner.
Burrowing Crayfish of West Gippsland
Who’s Who In The Underground Zoo?
There are nine species of burrowing crayfish that occur within West Gippsland (refer table 1 & table 2 for information on these species). Five of these are endemic
(restricted to the region), have special protection and are listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. These include the Lilly Pilly, Narracan,
Strzelecki, South Gippsland and Warragul Burrowing Crayfish.
Same place, difference space
Different species of crayfish can occur together creating a rich and diverse
crayfish fauna. Where several species live together, they often occupy different
spaces or niches within the landscape. This is known as micro-habitat
separation. Small scale variations in physical features of the landscape
(e.g. moisture, topography, soil type) result in different microhabitats.
At a given site occupied by Warragul Burrowing Crayfish for example,
the stream bank-water interface may be home to Richards Burrowing
Crayfish (Engaeus laevis),
the stream banks may be occupied by Granular and/or
Lowland Burrowing Crayfish (E. cunicularius & E. quadrimanus),
the floodplain by Warragul Burrowing Crayfish (E. sternalis),
the higher ground occupied by Gippsland Burrowing Crayfish
(E. hemicirratulus) and
Spiny crayfish (Euastacus) may be found in the waterways.
Burrowing Crayfish Species of West Gippsland
Click image to enlarge
Burrowing Crayfish Features
Click image to enlarge
Warragul Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus sternalis)
Click image to enlarge
Granular Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus cunicularius)
(Photo: Greg Hollis)
Click image to enlarge
Strzelecki Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus rostrogaleatus)
(Photo: R. Appleton) (more info)
Click image to enlarge
Narracan Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus phyllocercus)
Click image to enlarge
Lowland Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus quadrimanus)
(Photo: Greg Hollis)
Click image to enlarge
Richards Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus laevis)
Click image to enlarge
Gippsland Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus hemicirratulus)
Colour Variation 1
South Gippsland Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus karnanga)
Click image to enlarge
Lily Pilly Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus australis)
Image Not Currently Available
Click image to enlarge
Gippsland Burrowing Crayfish
(Engaeus hemicirratulus)
Colour Variation 2
Image Not
Currently
Available
Click to Close
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
Image Not
Currently
Available
Click to Close
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.