Developing Habitat Descriptors for a Threatened Cryptic Worm‐Lizard to Determine Potential Habitat Under the NSW Biodiversity Offset Scheme in Australia

ABSTRACT

Understanding the habitat requirements and potential distribution of threatened species is fundamental to mitigating threats and protecting significant populations. In Australia, a range of studies have been undertaken into the ecology and habitat requirements for the nationally threatened pink‐tailed worm‐lizard ( Aprasia parapulchella ) in the past 30+ years, with a primary focus on well‐studied locations close to major population centres. Findings from these locations have biased the broad understanding of habitat and suitable survey techniques over time, with a focus largely on dacite geology and detection methods using rock‐rolling under suitable environmental conditions. However, the occurrence of the species in non‐rocky environments and detectability challenges more generally suggests that established survey techniques are unlikely to provide confidence in survey outcomes across the species' geographical range over time. For this reason, the NSW Biodiversity Offset Scheme now utilises the process outlined in this paper to determine presence when assessing development impacts and offsets. This study aims to review key literature and spatial information to understand the broader habitat variability of this cryptic species, document the range of habitats the species is known to occur in and produce an occupiable footprint and measurable habitat parameters to consider the potential for species occurrence. Information within this paper provides a standardised approach to assessing Aprasia parapulchella habitat suitability in NSW. Our approach could also be applied to underpin planning and policy considerations for other cryptic threatened species.