Former Geographical Distribution
Tympanocryptis pinguicolla has been recorded from as far north in New South Wales as Bathurst (Osborne et al. 1993b), south through the ACT to the Monaro grasslands in the Southern Tablelands (Mitchell 1948). One lizard was collected from grassy-grassy/woodland habitat near Toowoomba, Queensland in 1978 (Smith et al. 1999). Within the ACT, past records suggest that the lizard was locally common prior to 1970 (Pryor 1938, Robert Jenkins and David Rowell, pers. comm.), and it was known adjacent to Northbourne Avenue in the 1950s (Young 1992). In Victoria, the species was reported typically from the basalt plains, being known from several locations to the north of Melbourne and as far west as the Geelong area (McCoy 1889, Lucas and Frost 1894, Mitchell 1948, Brereton and Backhouse 1993), where it was described as "not very uncommon" (McCoy 1889). Other old records are from Rutherglen and Maryborough in central Victoria (Lucas and Frost 1894).

Current Known Distribution
Recent records indicate that T. pinguicolla has undergone a dramatic decrease in its geographic range.

At least two populations have been recorded from the Majura and Jerrabomberra Valleys in the ACT and adjacent parts of NSW (Osborne et al. 1993a, Smith 1994, Biosis 1995, Langston 1996, Nelson et al. 1996, 1998a, 1998b), and individuals have been found within two areas (five 'sites') near Cooma in NSW (Osborne et al. 1993b, Dorrough et al. 1996). No sightings or captures of this species have been reported recently from north of the ACT.

In Victoria, five sightings believed to be this species were reported between 1988 and 1990; one from the upper reaches of Merri Creek, one from Holden Flora Reserve, and three from the Little River, west of Werribee. Intensive trapping surveys at these locations since 1994 have failed to confirm the sightings as T. pinguicolla (Robertson and Webster, in prep.). Many other potential grassland sites to the north and west of Melbourne were also surveyed during this period, and no earless dragons were located. One further reported sighting near Cragieburn in 1990 (Beardsell 1997) requires further investigation.

The last confirmed sightings of T. pinguicolla in Victoria were from the Laverton area in 1960 (Museum of Victoria, coll. P. Robson), Little River in 1967 (coll. W. Bate, illustrated in Jenkins and Bartell 1980), Rockbank area in 1968 (Robson 1968), and the Geelong area in 1969 (Pescott 1969). Recently, T. pinguicolla has been found on farms near Toowoomba, Queensland.

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