Oligosoma infrapunctatum

Oligosoma infrapunctatum, the speckled skink, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.[1]

Oligosoma infrapunctatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Oligosoma
Species:
O. infrapunctatum
Binomial name
Oligosoma infrapunctatum
(Boulenger, 1887)

The speckled skink is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification System as being in 'gradual decline'.[2] However, evidence indicates that this classification refers to a complex of closely related species, and the actual O. infrapunctatum may be highly endangered or even extinct.[3]

Distribution

Oligosoma infrapunctatum is a widespread but patchily distributed skink with a distribution spanning the North Island from the Bay of Plenty south, and the South Island in the Marlborough Sounds, Nelson and Westland regions. It occurs in open forest, scrubland and tussock grassland from sea level to the subalpine zone,[4] on boulder beaches in the Westland region of the South Island [5] and occasionally in farmland and other modified habitats.[5]

Biogeography
The speckled skink.

Recent genetic studies showed deep genetic divisions within O. infrapunctatum indicating that it is probably a complex of cryptic species which diverged in the Pliocene.[6] A recent paper showed that Oligosoma infrapunctatum could be extinct, and that the widespread species in the Oligosoma infrapunctatum group should be called Oligosoma newmani [3]

References
  1. Australasian Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group 1996. Oligosoma infrapunctatum. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 20 July 2007.
  2. New Zealand Threat Classification System lists 2005, Hitchmough, R.; Bull, L.; Cromarty, P. (comps) (2007) Department of Conservation, Wellington. 194 p.
  3. Melzer, S.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Bell, T.; Chapple, D.G.; Patterson, G.B. (2019) Lost and Found: Taxonomic revision of the speckled skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum; Reptilia; Scincidae) species complex from New Zealand reveals a potential cryptic extinction, resurrection of two species, and description of three new species. Zootaxa 4623(3): 441-484.
  4. Gill, B. & Whitaker, T. (2001) New Zealand frogs and reptiles. David Bateman, Auckland.
  5. Whitaker, A.H. & Lyall, J. (2004) Conservation of lizards in West Coast/Tai Poutini Conservancy. Technical Report, Department of Conservation, Wellington.
  6. Greaves et al. 2008 Genetic divergences pre-date Pleistocene glacial cycles in the New Zealand speckled skink, Oligosoma infrapunctatum Journal of Biogeography (J. Biogeogr.) (2008) 35, 853–864
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