 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(August 2018) |
| Hardy's skink | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Oligosoma |
| Species: | O. hardyi |
| Binomial name | |
| Oligosoma hardyi | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
Hardy's skink (Oligosoma hardyi) is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Poor Knights Islands of New Zealand.
The specific name, hardyi, is in honor of Kiwi herpetologist Graham S. Hardy. [3]
In the Poor Knights Islands, O. hardyi occurs on Tawhiti Rahi Island, Aorangi Island, Aorangaia Island, Archway Island, and two rock stacks (Stack “B,” Stack “C”).[ citation needed ]
O. hardyi closely resembles the copper skink, Cyclodina aenea , and was considered to be a member of this species until recently when it was described as a new species using morphological, allozyme and DNA methods (Chapple et al. 2008). More recently, the genus Cyclodina was merged with the genus Oligosoma (Chapple et al. 2009), resulting in a new combination for this species, Oligosoma hardyi.
O. hardyi is most commonly found in areas where there is ground cover near flax and scrub habitat. It is crepuscular, seeking refuge during the day under stones or thick vegetation.[ citation needed ]
O. hardyi can be distinguished from all other Oligosoma species, including the other members of the O. aeneum species complex, by having suboculars three and four separated by the fifth supralabial under the eye. In addition, the midbody scale count is greater than that of the slight skink ( Oligosoma levidensum ) from the Te Paki region.[ citation needed ]
Oligosoma is a genus of small to medium-sized skinks found only in New Zealand, Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. Oligosoma had previously been found to belong to the Eugongylus group of genera in the subfamily Lygosominae; the Australian genus Bassiana appears to be fairly closely related.
The copper skink is a skink of the family Scincidae that is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand.
Oligosoma alani,, also known as the robust skink is the largest endemic skink to New Zealand. The robust skink is in the family Scincidae and found in the protected nature reserves of the Mercury Islands in the North Island of New Zealand. The robust skink has an at risk - recovering conservation status.
McGregor's skink is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand.
The marbled skink is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand.
Whitaker's skink, also known commonly as Whitaker's New Zealand skink, is an endangered species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is found only in New Zealand.
Falla's skink, also known commonly as the Three Kings skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to New Zealand.
The chevron skink, is a large species of skink endemic to New Zealand, found only on Great and Little Barrier islands in the Hauraki Gulf. A cryptic forest dweller, it can hide underwater, and is under threat from introduced rats.
Oligosoma infrapunctatum, the speckled skink, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.
The southern skink is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Oligosoma nigriplantare, the Chatham Islands skink, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae.
Oligosoma taumakae, the Open Bay Island(s) skink, or Taumaka skink, is a species of skink. It was described from the Open Bay Islands, off the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand.
The slight skink is a skink of the family Scincidae, endemic to the far north of the North Island of New Zealand. The precise distribution is unknown; currently it is only known from localities in the Te Paki region of Northland. It closely resembles the copper skink, Oligosoma aeneum, and was considered to be a member of this species until recently when it was described as a new species using morphological, allozyme and DNA methods. O. levidensum is difficult to distinguish morphologically from O. aeneum, which is probably why it had not been recognised until recently. The main distinguishing feature is the slighter overall body form of O. levidensum compared to O. aeneum. The limbs of O. levidensum are reduced compared to O. aeneum and O. hardyi, the other members of the O. aeneum complex.
The Barrier skink is a species of medium-sized skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand, where it lives in the alpine habitat of the Darran and Takitimu Mountains of Fiordland. It is one of only two species of New Zealand skinks that live exclusively in the alpine zone, the other being the "Sinbad skink", Oligosoma pikitanga, a closely related species of similar appearance which is found in the same part of the South Island. The Barrier skink was first collected in the 1960s but was overlooked until rediscovery by a pair of mountain climbers in 2005; the species was scientifically described in 2009.
The moko skink is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae (skinks) that is endemic to New Zealand. Moko is the Māori word for lizards in general.
The Mokohinau skink, also known commonly as Towns' skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand.
The Aorangi skink is a species of lizards in the skink family. The species is native to New Zealand.
The Te Kakahu skink is a critically endangered species of skink native to New Zealand. When discovered, the entire species was inhabiting a single patch of clifftop vegetation on Chalky Island in Fiordland National Park.
The Burgan skink is a nationally endangered species of skink native to New Zealand. It was described from a specimen found near the Burgan Stream, in the Rock and Pillar Range, Central Otago.
The spotted skink is a nationally at risk species of skink native to New Zealand. The Spotted skink is currently known to be present in the Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa and Wellington regions as well as in Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury. It is also present on Somes Island, Mākaro / Ward Island, North Brother Island and Stephens Island. Adult males and adult females of the species significantly differ in the snout-vent length with body sizes reaching 111mm. Females produce around 3 - 4 young.
