Ornate skink

The ornate skink, Oligosoma ornatum, is a rare species of skink endemic to New Zealand. This species was once widespread through much of the North Island and on many offshore islands in the Hauraki Gulf and north of the Coromandel Peninsula.[2] Habitat destruction and predation by introduced species has now reduced their range to scattered localities throughout the North Island as far south as Wellington, as well as on the Three Kings Islands, Great Barrier Island, and a few other offshore islands.[3]

Ornate skink
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Oligosoma
Species:
O. ornatum
Binomial name
Oligosoma ornatum
(Gray, 1843)
Synonyms[1]
  • Cyclodina pseudornata (Robb 1986)
  • Cyclodina ornata (Gray, 1843)

Ornate skinks co-exist widely with copper skinks, and at selected localities with robust skinks, Mokohinau skinks, McGregor's skinks, Poor Knights skinks and on Great Barrier and Little Barrier Islands, marbled skinks. Ornate skinks are not currently known to co-exist with Whitaker's skinks.

Ornate skinks can be identified by the white or yellowish "teardrop" edged with black, below each eye.[4]

Conservation status

In 2012 the Department of Conservation classified the ornate skink as At Risk under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. It was judged as meeting the criteria for At Risk threat status as a result of it having a low to high ongoing or predicted decline. This skink is also regarded as being Conservation Dependant.[5]

References
  1. "Oligosoma ornatum". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  2. Morris, R; Ballance, A. (2008). Rare Wildlife of New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Random House. p. 224. ISBN 978-1-86941-912-7.
  3. Downs, D. R. (August 1999). Cyclodina spp. skink recovery plan 1999-2004 (TSRP-27). Threatened Species Recovery Plan Series, No. 27 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation (Te Papa Atawhai). p. 69. ISBN 0-478-21838-9. ISSN 1173-2946. OCLC 56141853.
  4. "Gardening for the ornate skink factsheet" (Press release). Department of Conservation (Te Papa Atawhai), Wellington, New Zealand. 2009.
  5. Hitchmough, Rod; Anderson, Peter; Barr, Ben; Monks, Jo; Lettink, Marieke; Reardon, James; Tocher, Mandy; Whitaker, Tony. "Conservation status of New Zealand reptiles, 2012" (PDF). Department of Conservation. The Government of New Zealand. Retrieved 18 July 2015.


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