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Cobble Skink
The cobble skink (''Oligosoma'' aff. ''infrapunctatum'' "cobble") in the family Scincidae is a skink species endemic to New Zealand, found only on a single small stretch of stony beach at Granity, on the West Coast. In 2016 it was on the brink of extinction, with declining numbers and a threatened habitat, and all known individuals were captured and taken to Auckland Zoo. Taxonomy The cobble skink is part of the speckled skink (''Oligosoma infrapunctatum'') complex, and it was first listed as a distinct species in a field guide, based on morphological differences, although at the time there was no genetic evidence to support this. Subsequently, its distinct status has been confirmed by a genetic analysis, although it has yet to be formally named and described. Description Cobble skinks are small (60–65 mm snout–vent length) lizards that resemble speckled skinks: medium brown above, with a darker central stripe bordered by lighter spots, dark brown stripes on a cr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Family (biology)
Family ( la, familia, plural ') is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between order and genus. A family may be divided into subfamilies, which are intermediate ranks between the ranks of family and genus. The official family names are Latin in origin; however, popular names are often used: for example, walnut trees and hickory trees belong to the family Juglandaceae, but that family is commonly referred to as the "walnut family". What belongs to a family—or if a described family should be recognized at all—are proposed and determined by practicing taxonomists. There are no hard rules for describing or recognizing a family, but in plants, they can be characterized on the basis of both vegetative and reproductive features of plant species. Taxonomists often take different positions about descriptions, and there may be no broad consensus across the scientific community for some time. The publishing of new data and opini ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grey River (New Zealand)
The Grey River / Māwheranui is located in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. It rises 12 kilometres southwest of the Lewis Pass in Lake Christabel, one of numerous small lakes on the western side of the Southern Alps, and runs westward for 120 kilometres before draining into the Tasman Sea at Greymouth. Thomas Brunner, who explored the area in the late 1840s, named the river in honour of Sir George Grey, who first served as Governor of New Zealand from 1845 to 1854. The Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 changed the official name of the river to Grey River / Māwheranui in 1998. The Māori name for the river system and surrounding area is ''Māwhera'', with ''Māwheranui'' being distinguished from the northern branch Little Grey River / Māwheraiti. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "broad and widespread (river mouth)" for ''Māwheranui''. Numerous small rivers are tributaries of the Grey, and several of them also drain ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Endemic Fauna Of New Zealand
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, the Cape sugarbird is found exclusively in southwestern South Africa and is therefore said to be ''endemic'' to that particular part of the world. An endemic species can be also be referred to as an ''endemism'' or in scientific literature as an ''endemite''. For example '' Cytisus aeolicus'' is an endemite of the Italian flora. '' Adzharia renschi'' was once believed to be an endemite of the Caucasus, but it was later discovered to be a non-indigenous species from South America belonging to a different genus. The extreme opposite of an endemic species is one with a cosmopolitan distribution, having a global or widespread range. A rare alternative term for a species that is endemic is "precinctive", which applies to s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reptiles Of New Zealand
For the reptiles of New Zealand, see: * Dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles of New Zealand *Geckos of New Zealand *''Oligosoma'', a genus of skinks *Tuatara, incorrectly referred to as a "living dinosaur". The New Zealand mosasaur has been named ''Moanasaurus'', and was one of the largest mosasaurs in the world. The New Zealand plesiosaur has been named ''Mauisaurus''. See also *Fauna of New Zealand The animals of New Zealand, part of its biota, have an unusual history because, before the arrival of humans, less than 900 years ago, the country was mostly free of mammals, except those that could swim there (seals, sea lions, and, off-shore, ... External links Conservation Status of New Zealand Reptiles, 2021New Zealand reptiles and frogs Department of Conservation {{New Zealand Reptiles ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oligosoma
''Oligosoma'' is a genus of small to medium-sized skinks (family Scincidae) 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. Species The currently described species are: *'' Oligosoma acrinasum'' – Fiordland skink *'' Oligosoma aeneum'' – copper skink *'' Oligosoma alani'' – Alan's skink, robust skink *''Oligosoma albornense'' – Alborn skink *'' Oligosoma auroraense'' – Hawke's Bay skink, eastern speckled skink *'' Oligosoma awakopaka'' – Awakopaka skink *'' Oligosoma burganae'' – Burgan skink *'' Oligosoma chloronoton'' – green skink *'' Oligosoma elium'' – Marlborough spotted skink *'' Oligosoma fallai'' – Falla's skink, Three Kings skink *'' Oligosoma grande'' – grand skink *'' Oligosoma hardyi'' – Hardy's skink *'' Oligosoma homalonotum' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Critter Of The Week
''Critter of the Week'' is a weekly RNZ National programme about endangered and neglected native plants and animals of New Zealand. Beginning in 2015, ''Critter of the Week'' is an approximately 15-minute discussion between Nicola Toki of the Department of Conservation and host Jesse Mulligan on an "uncharismatic and lovable" New Zealand species. The topic of spotlighting uncharismatic species was raised in an interview by Mulligan in April 2015, and the programme originated in a discussion between Mulligan and Toki about threatened bird conservation, in which she lamented a lack of attention and corporate funding for species such as the '' Smeagol'' gravel maggot. The first episode, airing 2 October 2015, featured the New Zealand bat fly. Each week's broadcast is supported by improving the Wikipedia article for the species in question. The show currently airs on Friday afternoons. In 2018, artist Giselle Clarkson designed t-shirts featuring a selection of species that had a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Department Of Conservation (New Zealand)
The Department of Conservation (DOC; Māori: ''Te Papa Atawhai'') is the public service department of New Zealand charged with the conservation of New Zealand's natural and historical heritage. An advisory body, the New Zealand Conservation Authority (NZCA) is provided to advise DOC and its ministers. In addition there are 15 conservation boards for different areas around the country that provide for interaction between DOC and the public. Function Overview The department was formed on 1 April 1987, as one of several reforms of the public service, when the ''Conservation Act 1987'' was passed to integrate some functions of the Department of Lands and Survey, the Forest Service and the Wildlife Service. This act also set out the majority of the department's responsibilities and roles. As a consequence of Conservation Act all Crown land in New Zealand designated for conservation and protection became managed by the Department of Conservation. This is about 30% of New Z ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Zealand Threat Classification System
The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand. The system was developed because the IUCN Red List, a similar conservation status system, had some shortcomings for the unique requirements of conservation ranking in New Zealand. plants, animals, and fungi are evaluated, though the lattermost has yet to be published. Algae were assessed in 2005 but not reassessed since. Other protists have not been evaluated. Categories Species that are ranked are assigned categories: ;Threatened This category has three major divisions: ::*Nationally Critical - equivalent to the IUCN category of Critically endangered ::*Nationally Endangered - equivalent to the IUCN category of Endangered ::*Nationally Vulnerable - equivalent to the IUCN category of Vulnerable ;At Risk This has four categories: ::*Declining ::*Recovering ::*Relict ::*Naturally Uncommon ;Other categories ;;Introduced and Natur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Muehlenbeckia Complexa
''Muehlenbeckia complexa'', commonly known as ''pohuehue'' ( mi, pōhuehue), although this name also applies to some other climbers such as ''Muehlenbeckia australis''. Description ''Muehlenbeckia complexa'' is one of 50 species of shrubs, that are divided into 21 family groups known to be divaricate, with interlaced branches and reduced number of leaves, this trait is rather unique to New Zealand with very little divaricate species being found elsewhere in the world. ''M. complexa'' is a vascular native of New Zealand, belonging to the Polygonaceae family. ''M. complexa'' forms a dense thick mass of interlaced branches. The stems are slender and creep or twine over other plants or rocks, without support it will climb upon itself. Forming thick and dense prostrate masses. When it occurs near the shore, frequently assumes cushion form. The stems are tough and woody, with numerous branches tightly interlaced, bark is red-brown in colour and have a wiry appearance. The leaves a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Westland District
Westland District is a Districts of New Zealand, territorial authority district on the West Coast, New Zealand, West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is administered by the Westland District Council. The district's population is History Westland was originally a part of Canterbury Province, administered from Christchurch in the East coast. The booming population as a result of the gold rush, together with the difficulty of travel and communication across the Southern Alps, led first to the creation of a special Westland County, then the formal separation of Westland from Canterbury to form the short-lived Westland Province (1873–1876). Westland Province also included what is now the southern portion of Grey District with the provincial boundary at the Grey River (New Zealand), Grey and Arnold River (New Zealand), Arnold rivers. Greymouth proper was in Westland Province, Cobden, New Zealand, Cobden, on the north bank of the Grey River, was in Nelson Province . After the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oligosoma Infrapunctatum
''Oligosoma infrapunctatum'', the speckled skink, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. The speckled skink is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification System as being in 'gradual decline'. 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. 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, on boulder beaches in the Westland region of the South Island Whitaker, A.H. & Lyall, J. (2004) Conservation of lizards in West Coast/Tai Poutini Conservancy. Technical Report, Department of Conservation, Wellington. and occasionall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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