Oligosoma nigriplantare

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Oligosoma nigriplantare
Oligosoma nigriplantare (AM LH517-1).jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Oligosoma
Species:
O. nigriplantare
Binomial name
Oligosoma nigriplantare
(Peters, 1874)

Oligosoma nigriplantare, the Chatham Islands skink, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae.

It is the sole reptile species found on the Chatham Islands of New Zealand, where it occurs on all the major islands except Chatham Island itself. Given the geological history of the Chatham Islands, it is assumed that O. n. nigriplantare previously occurred on Chatham Island; however, there are no fossil records or historical reports of O. n. nigriplantare on Chatham Island.[ citation needed ] Since O. n. nigriplantare is almost locally extinct on Pitt Island as a result of introduced mammals, [1] the presence of introduced mammals on Chatham Island might have resulted in the local extinction of O. n. nigriplantare.[ citation needed ] On vegetated islands, O. n. nigriplantare inhabits grassland and shrub habitat, but it also occurs on marine rock stacks with sparse vegetation. [1] Substantial morphological variation (body size, colour and colour pattern) is evident within O. n. nigriplantare, [2] [1] potentially indicating morphological evolution following its colonization of the Chatham Islands. Indeed, O. n. nigriplantare (up to 91 mm Snout to Vent Length; SVL) has a substantially larger body size than Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma (up to 77 mm SVL). [3] [4]

Recent genetic studies indicate that O. n. nigriplantare diverged from Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma (its nearest relative) 5.86–7.29 million years ago. [5] This pre-dates the emergence date for the Chatham Islands, but indicates that O. n. nigriplantare colonized the Chatham Islands via overwater dispersal on a single occasion. There is substantial morphological variability evident in O. n. nigriplantare, and a shallow level of genetic differential between islands within the Chatham Islands indicating low gene flow between islands, but not speciation between islands. The level of genetic and morphological divergence between O. n. nigriplantare and Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma might warrant their recognition as distinct species.

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<i>Oligosoma salmo</i> Species of lizard

The Chesterfield or Kapitia skink is a species of skink found in New Zealand. Only discovered in 1994 and for years not recognised as a distinct species, it is endemic to a narrow 1 km strip of coastal vegetation on the West Coast of New Zealand, 15 km north of Hokitika. There are fewer than 200 individuals remaining in the wild. Oligosoma salmo is the only New Zealand skink with a prehensile tail, suggesting it was once arboreal and inhabited coastal forest, which was subsequently cleared for dairy farming. Following the partial destruction of its remaining habitat in 2018 by a cyclone, a small captive breeding population was established at Auckland Zoo.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Freeman A. (2000). "A preliminary study of habitat use in the skink Oligosoma nigriplantare nigriplantare on Rangitira Island, New Zealand". Herpetofauna. 30, 7–10.
  2. Daugherty CH, Patterson GB, Thorn CJ, French DC (1990) Differentiation of the members of the New Zealand Leiolopisma nigriplantare species complex (Lacertilia: Scincidae). Herpetological Monographs, 4, 61–76; Patterson & Daugherty 1990;
  3. Patterson GB, Daugherty CH (1990) Four new species and one new subspecies of skinks, genus Leiolopisma (Reptilia: Lacertilia: Scincidae) from New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 20, 65–84;
  4. Gill B, Whitaker T (2001) New Zealand Frogs and Reptiles. David Bateman, Auckland, New Zealand
  5. Liggins, Chapple, Daughertry and Ritchie (2008). "Origin and post-colonization evolution of the Chatham Islands skink (Oligosoma nigriplantare nigriplantare)". Molecular Ecology [0962-1083] vol:17 iss:14 pg: 3290-3305.