Yellow-tailed plain slider (Lerista xanthura) - vulnerable species listing

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list the Yellow-tailed Plain Slider, Lerista xanthura Storr 1976, as a VULNERABLE SPECIES in Schedule 2 of the Act. Listing of vulnerable species is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

NSW Scientific Committee - final determination

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. The Yellow-tailed Plain Slider, Lerista xanthura, is a pale pinkish-buff skink with a bright yellow tail (Cogger 2000). The species is elongate and both the forelimbs and hindlimbs are reduced and bear only four-digits. Individuals reach a total length of approximately 90 mm.

2. The Yellow-tailed Plain Slider is distributed from the Gibson Desert in Western Australia through central Australia to far-western NSW (Cogger 2000). In NSW, the species is known from two disjunct populations each a distinct morphotype (Greer 1990). One population occurs between Ivanhoe and Broken Hill, and the other in the north-west corner of the state. Since the 1970s, there have been only nine records of the Yellow-tailed Plain Slider with two records in 1984 from Kinchega National Park, one record each from Broken Hill and from Mutawintji National Park in 1995, two records from Sturt National Park in 1997 and 1999, and two records from the same site in Tarawi Nature Reserve in 2000 and 2001.

3. The Yellow-tailed Plain Slider inhabits a variety of habitats, including grassed alluvial sands and sand dunes, dry open woodlands and spinifex-dominated red sand plains (Cogger 2000). The species is insectivorous and fossorial and usually found in loose soil or sand beneath stones, logs and other surface debris.

4. Degradation and loss of Yellow-tailed Plain Slider habitat occurs in association with land use. Grazing by introduced herbivores affects the density and structure of vegetation. Importantly for this soil-dwelling species, disturbance through trampling by livestock and Feral Goats, Capra hircus, degrades the soil structure and causes soil compaction and erosion (Sadlier  et al. 1996). Alteration of natural fire regimes, in association with landuse, may affect Yellow-tailed Plain Slider habitat as overly frequent or non-patchy fires would reduce the amount of surface debris available to the species.

5. The diets of Feral Cats, Felis catus, and European Red Foxes,  Vulpes vulpes, include a significant proportion of reptilian prey (Sadlier  et al. 1996). The degree of threat to the Yellow-tailed Plain Slider from predation by these introduced species is unknown; this impact in concert with threats to the habitat of the Yellow-tailed Plain Slider may potentially be significant.

6. The distribution of the Yellow-tailed Plain Slider is severely fragmented such that local populations of the species are vulnerable to extinction via stochastic events. Although the species has recently been recorded from within National Parks, this may not ensure the species' long-term survival in NSW.

7. In view of the above the Scientific Committee is of the opinion that the Yellow-tailed Plain Slider Lerista xanthura Storr 1976  is likely to become endangered in New South Wales unless the circumstances and factors threatening its survival or evolutionary development cease to operate.

Associate Professor Paul Adam
Chairperson
Scientific Committee

Proposed Gazettal date: 25/06/04
Exhibition Period: 25/06/04 - 06/08/04

References: 

Cogger HG (2000) 'Reptiles and amphibians of Australia.' (Reed Books: Chatswood).

Greer AE (1990) The taxonomic status of Lerista aericeps Storr 1986 with a diagnosis of the  Lerista orientalis species group.  Records of the Western Australia Museum 14, 443-448.

Sadlier RA, Pressey RL, Whish GL (1996) 'Reptiles and amphibians of particular conservation concern in the Western Division of New South Wales: distributions, habitats and conservation status.' NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Occasional Paper 21, Hurstville.