AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

The Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar has been studied over a five year period at Iramoo Wildlife Reserve, some 18 kilometres west of Melbourne, Victoria. Thie site contains the largest documented population of D. impar in Australia. Pit-fall trapping with drift-fences was found to be a useful tool for conducting habitat manipulation experiments on the species. However, the use of artificial shelters, roof tiles in this case, is cheaper, less labour intensive and less disturbing and therefore provides an adequate survey tool. Surveys conducted in spring yielded a larger number of D. impar over a shorter survey period. An objective pictorial method was devised to identify individual D. impar specimens. This enabled the rate of recapture to be assessed and can be applied to both mature and immature animals. Attempts were made to adapt harmonic direction-finder technology for use on D. Impar. This technology has previously been used to monitor the movements of juvenile and small snake species. this attempt was not successful.