Terrestrial vertebrate fauna of grasslands and grassy woodlands in Terrick Terrick National Park, northern Victoria.

A survey of terrestrial grassland and woodland fauna was conducted in Terrick Terrick National Park in northern Victoria. A total of 91 sample sites, consisting of 1132 log refuges, was distributed over three vegetation communities, including two woodland communities and four grassland subcommunities, to sample vertebrates. The newly introduced log refuges and an additional 271 preexisting old refuges were checked on eight occasions, once per month between June 2000 and January 2001. A total of 346 faunal observations were recorded beneath the refuges, encompassing 15 species from eight families and including three species threatened with extinction in Victoria: Tessellated Gecko Diplodactylus tessellatus, Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar and Curl Snake Suta suta. The elapid Curl Snake was the most commonly recorded species (17% of observations) followed by Common Eastern Froglet Crinia signifera (16%) and Fat-tailed Dunnart Sminthopsis crassicaudata (15%). Two species were encountered significantly more frequently in woodlands than grasslands (Boulenger's Skink Morethia boulengeri and Common Eastern Froglet), whereas three species (House Mouse Mus musculus, Fat-tailed Dunnart and Curl Snake) were significantly more frequent in grasslands. Few species were recorded in recently cropped paddocks, and all were in low numbers. This study documents the importance of Terrick Terrick National Park for conserving threatened herpetofauna, and demonstrates the effectiveness of log refuges as a survey method for vertebrate grassland fauna. (The Victorian Naturalist 120 (5), 2003, 164-171)