List of reptiles of Christmas Island

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This is a list of the reptile species recorded on Christmas Island . At the time of human settlement in the late 19th century, the island had five native species of lizard and one native snake. However, additional species were introduced during the 20th century, resulting in dramatic declines in the island's native reptile populations. [1]

Contents

Lizards

1900 monograph featuring three Christmas Island reptiles: (from left to right) Lister's gecko, Christmas Island forest skink, blue-tailed skink. N388 w1150.jpg
1900 monograph featuring three Christmas Island reptiles: (from left to right) Lister's gecko, Christmas Island forest skink, blue-tailed skink.

Christmas Island had five native lizard species at the time of human settlement, although the Christmas Island forest skink (Emoia nativitatis) is now considered extinct, [2] and the blue-tailed skink (Cryptoblepharus egeriae) and Lister's gecko (Lepidodactylus listeri) are extinct in the wild. [3] [4] Three additional species were introduced during the 20th century. [1]

Common nameScientific nameNotesRed ListRef
Christmas Island blue-tailed shining-skink Cryptoblepharus egeriaeendemic Fl mammals ew.svg [3] [1]
Christmas Island forest skink Emoia nativitatisendemic, last known individual died 31 May 2014 [5] Fl mammals ex.svg [2] [1]
Lister's gecko Lepidodactylus listeriendemic Fl mammals ew.svg [4] [1]
Sadleir's bow-fingered gecko Cyrtodactylus sadleiriendemic Fl mammals en.svg [6] [1]
Coastal skink Emoia atrocostatanative [1]
House gecko Hemidactylus frenatusintroduced by 1940 [1] Fl mammals lc.svg [7] [1]
Stump-tailed gecko Gehyra mutilataintroduced after the mid-1940s [1] [1]
Grass skink Lygosoma bowringiiintroduced; first recorded around 1979 [1] [1]

Snakes

Christmas Island has one endemic snake species, the Christmas Island blind snake (Ramphotyphlops exocoeti). [1] The flowerpot blind snake (Ramphotyphlops braminus) had been introduced to the island by 1940, [1] and the Oriental wolf snake (Lycodon capucinus) was introduced in the 1980s. [1]

Common nameScientific nameNotesRed ListRef
Christmas Island blind snake Ramphotyphlops exocoetiendemic Fl mammals en.svg [8] [1]
Oriental wolf snake Lycodon capucinusintroduced; first recorded around 1987 [1] Fl mammals lc.svg [9] [1]
Flowerpot blind snake Ramphotyphlops braminusintroduced by 1940 [1] [1]

Turtles

Green turtles are known to nest on Christmas Island. Green turtle swimming over coral reefs in Kona.jpg
Green turtles are known to nest on Christmas Island.

Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and, more rarely, hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) have been documented to nest on Christmas Island. [10] Sea turtle nesting occurs on Dolly Beach, on a small area of sand above the high tide level, and occasionally at Greta Beach. [10]

Common nameScientific nameNotesRed ListRef
Green turtle Chelonia mydasnests on Christmas Island; considered uncommon Fl mammals en.svg [11] [10]
Hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricatanests on Christmas Island; rarely documented Fl mammals cr.svg [12] [10]
Loggerhead turtle Caretta carettamay forage in waters off Christmas Island Fl mammals vu.svg [13] [10]
Leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriaceamay forage in waters off Christmas Island Fl mammals vu.svg [14] [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Cryptoblepharus egeriae</i> Species of reptile

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas Island forest skink</span> Species of lizard

The Christmas Island forest skink, also known as the Christmas Island whiptail skink, is a species of skink formerly endemic to Australia's Christmas Island. As of 2017, it is listed as extinct on the IUCN Red List. The last known forest skink, a captive individual named Gump, died on 31 May 2014.

Cryptoblepharus cygnatus, also known commonly as Swanson's snake-eyed skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Northern Territory in Australia.

Cryptoblepharus daedalos, also known commonly as the dappled snake-eyed skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Northern Territory in Australia.

Cryptoblepharus gurrmul, also known commonly as the Arafura snake-eyed skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Northern Territory in Australia.

Cryptoblepharus mertensi, also known commonly as Merten's snake-eyed skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Northern Territory in Australia.

Cryptoblepharus wulbu, also known commonly as the spangled snake-eyed skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Northern Territory in Australia.

Cryptoblepharus xenikos is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Papua New Guinea.

The intermediate bandy-bandy is a species of snake in the family Elapidae.

The Northern bandy bandy is a species of snake in the family Elapidae.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Smith, Michael J.; Cogger, Hal; Tiernan, Brendan; Maple, Dion; Boland, Christopher; Napier, Fionnuala; Detto, Tanya; Smith, Peter (10 September 2012). "An oceanic island reptile community under threat: The decline of reptiles on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean" (PDF). Herpetological Conservation and Biology. 7 (2): 206–218.
  2. 1 2 Hal Cogger (GAA, GRA / Australian Museum; John Woinarski (Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts (20 February 2017). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Emoia nativitatis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  3. 1 2 Hal Cogger GAA, GRA / Australian Museum; John Woinarski (Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts; Mitchell, Nicki; Emery, Jon-Paul (20 February 2017). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Cryptoblepharus egeriae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  4. 1 2 Hal Cogger (GAA, GRA / Australian Museum; John Woinarski (Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts; Mitchell, Nicki (20 February 2017). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Lepidodactylus listeri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  5. ↑ Driscoll, Don; Cogger, Hal; Woinarski, John. "Vale 'Gump', the last known Christmas Island Forest Skink". The Conversation . Archived from the original on 23 February 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  6. ↑ Hal Cogger (GAA, GRA / Australian Museum; John Woinarski (Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts; Mitchell, Nicki; Wynn, Melissa (20 February 2017). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Cyrtodactylus sadleiri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  7. ↑ Ota, H. & Whitaker (30 June 2009). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hemidactylus frenatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  8. ↑ Hal Cogger (GAA, GRA / Australian Museum; John Woinarski (Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts; Mitchell, Nicki; Ellis, Ryan (20 February 2017). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Ramphotyphlops exocoeti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  9. ↑ Guinevere Wogan (University of California, Berkeley); Museum), Tanya Chan-Ard (Thailand Natural History (1 September 2011). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Lycodon capucinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Beeton, Bob; Burbidge, Andrew; Grigg, Gordon; Harrison, Peter; How, Ric; Humphreys, Bill; McKenzie, Norm; Woinarski, John (2010). Final report of the Christmas Island Expert Working Group to the Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts.
  11. ↑ Seminoff, J. A. (Southwest Fisheries Science Center (30 April 2004). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Chelonia mydas". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  12. ↑ Mortimer, J. A. & Donnelly (30 June 2008). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Eretmochelys imbricata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  13. ↑ Paolo Casale (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group / Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin, ” University of Rome “La Sapienza; Anton Tucker (Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Sarasota (23 August 2015). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Caretta caretta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  14. ↑ Coordinator), Bryan Wallace (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle RLA; Group), Manjula Tiwari (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist; Group), Marc Girondot (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specilaist (21 June 2013). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dermochelys coriacea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
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