''Oligosoma'' is a genus of small to medium-sized

skink Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Ski ...

s ( family Scincidae) found only in New Zealand,

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together with ...

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 ''Acritoscincus'' is a genus of Australian skinks (family Scincidae). It belongs to the '' Eugongylus'' group; the genus ''Oligosoma ''Oligosoma'' is a genus of small to medium-sized skinks (family Scincidae) found only in New Zealand, Norfo ...

'' appears to be fairly closely related.

Species

The currently described species are: *''

Oligosoma acrinasum The Fiordland skink (''Oligosoma acrinasum'') is a species of skink endemic to the Fiordland temperate forests ecoregion of South Island, New Zealand. The Fiordland skink is found on one mainland locations and the exposed rocky shores of numerou ...

'' – Fiordland skink *''

Oligosoma aeneum The copper skink (''Oligosoma aeneum'') is a skink of the family Scincidae that is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. Taxonomy and systematics The number of skink species endemic to New Zealand is not yet known, as advancing molecular ...

'' – copper skink *''

Oligosoma alani The robust skink (''Oligosoma alani'', formerly ''Cyclodina alani'') is a large, rare species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand. Geographic range ''O. alani'' was once widespread throughout the North Isl ...

'' – Alan's skink, robust skink *''

Oligosoma albornense The Alborn skink (''Oligosoma albornense'') is a critically endangered and poorly known species of skink only found in a single 2 ha site near Reefton, New Zealand. It is classified as "Nationally Critical" by the Department of Conservation ...

'' – Alborn skink *''

Oligosoma auroraense The Hawke's Bay skink or eastern speckled skink (''Oligosoma auroraense'') is a species of skink found in New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmass ...

'' – Hawke's Bay skink, eastern speckled skink *''

Oligosoma awakopaka The Awakopaka skink (''Oligosoma awakopaka'') is a species of skink found in New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and ...

'' – Awakopaka skink *''

Oligosoma burganae The Burgan skink (''Oligosoma burganae'') 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. Appearance The Burgan skink ...

'' – Burgan skink *''

Oligosoma chloronoton The green skink (''Oligosoma chloronoton'') is a species of skink native to New Zealand. Distribution Green skinks can be found in the Waitaki Basin in Canterbury, as well as in Southland, Stewart Island and a few islands off Stewart Island. ...

'' – green skink *''

Oligosoma elium The Marlborough spotted skink (''Oligosoma elium'') is a species of skink found in New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island ...

'' – Marlborough spotted skink *''

Oligosoma fallai Falla's skink or the Three Kings skink (''Oligosoma fallai'') is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. Etymology The specific name, ''fallai'', is in honor of New Zealander ornithologist Robert Falla.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grays ...

'' – Falla's skink, Three Kings skink *''

Oligosoma grande The grand skink (''Oligosoma grande'') is an endangered species of large skink endemic to the central Otago region of New Zealand. Physical characteristics Grand skinks are relatively large compared to other New Zealand skinks, capable of grow ...

'' – grand skink *''

Oligosoma hardyi 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. Etymology The specific name, ''hardyi'', is in honor of Kiwi herpetologist Graham ...

'' – Hardy's skink *'' Oligosoma homalonotum'' – chevron skink *'' Oligosoma hoparatea'' – Pukuma skink, white-bellied skink *'' Oligosoma inconspicuum'' – cryptic skink *''

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'. H ...

'' – cobble skink, speckled skink *''

Oligosoma judgei The Barrier skink (''Oligosoma judgei'') 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 i ...

'' – barrier skink *'' Oligosoma kahurangi'' *'' Oligosoma kakerakau'' *''

Oligosoma kokowai ''Oligosoma kokowai'', the northern spotted skink, is a species of skink found in New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island ( ...

'' – northern spotted skink *'' Oligosoma levidensum'' – slight skink *''

Oligosoma lichenigerum The Lord Howe Island skink (''Oligosoma lichenigerum'') is a part of the native Australian reptiles’ classification. The Lord Howe Island Skink is a species of skink in the family Scincidae, located on Australia's Norfolk Island and Lord Howe ...

'' – Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands skink *'' Oligosoma lineoocellatum'' – Canterbury spotted skink *''

Oligosoma longipes The long-toed skink (''Oligosoma longipes'') is a species of skink of the family Scincidae, endemic to New Zealand. It was first described by Geoff Patterson in 1997. It is only known from a few sites in the South Island of New Zealand and li ...

'' – long-toed skink *'' Oligosoma maccanni'' – McCann's skink *''

Oligosoma macgregori McGregor's skink (''Oligosoma macgregori'') is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand. Etymology The specific name, ''macgregori'', is in honor of New Zealand zoologist William Roy McGregor.Beolens, ...

'' – MacGregor's skink *'' Oligosoma microlepis'' – small-scaled skink *''

Oligosoma moco The moko skink (''Oligosoma moco'') is a species of lizard in the family (biology), family Scincidae (skinks) that is endemism, endemic to New Zealand. ''Moko'' is the Māori language, Māori word for lizards in general. Distribution It is endem ...

'' – Moko skink *'' Oligosoma newmani'' – Newman's speckled skink *''

Oligosoma nigriplantare ''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 New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the ...

'' – Chatham Islands skink *''

Oligosoma northlandi The Northland skink (''Oligosoma northlandi'') is an extinct species of skink which was endemic to the Northland Region of North Island, New Zealand. It is known from late Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began ...

'' – Northland skink(extinct) *'' Oligosoma notosaurus'' – southern skink *'' Oligosoma oliveri'' – marbled skink, Oliver's New Zealand skink *''

Oligosoma ornatum 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. H ...

'' – Gray's ornate skink *''

Oligosoma otagense The Otago skink (''Oligosoma otagense'') is a rare, endangered species of large skink in the family Scincidae, found in the rocky canyons and grassy patches of Central Otago, New Zealand. Physical characteristics Otago skinks are large compared ...

'' – Otago skink *''

Oligosoma pachysomaticum The Coromandel skink (''Oligosoma pachysomaticum'') is a species of skink found in New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island ...

'' – Coromandel skink *'' Oligosoma pikitanga'' – Sinbad skink *''

Oligosoma polychroma The common skink (''Oligosoma polychroma''), also known as the northern grass skink,Oligosoma prasinum'' – Mackenzie skink *''

Oligosoma repens The Eyres skink (''Oligosoma repens'') is a nationally vulnerable species of skink native to New Zealand. It is named in honour of the location of its habitat, the Eyre Mountains. Conservation Status As of 2012 the Department of Conservatio ...

'' – Eyres skink *'' Oligosoma robinsoni'' - crenulate skink, Hokitika skink, cobble skink *'' Oligosoma roimata'' – Aorangi skink *''

Oligosoma salmo The Chesterfield or Kapitia skink (''Oligosoma salmo'') 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 t ...

'' – Chesterfield skink *''

Oligosoma smithi ''Oligosoma smithi'', commonly known as the shore skink, short-tailed skink, Smith's ground skink,Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + ...

'' – shore skink *'' Oligosoma stenotis'' – small-eared skink *''

Oligosoma striatum The New Zealand striped skink (''Oligosoma striatum'') is a rare species of medium-sized skink endemic to New Zealand. The specific epithet means "streaked".Brian Gill and Tony Whitaker,''"New Zealand Frogs and Reptiles"'', David Bateman, 2001 Th ...

'' – striped skink *'' Oligosoma suteri'' – egg-laying skink, Suter's skink *''

Oligosoma taumakae ''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. This species is diagnosed on the basis of severa ...

'' – Open Bay Islands skink, Taumaka skink *''

Oligosoma tekakahu The Te Kakahu skink (''Oligosoma tekakahu'') 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 (New Zealand), Chalky Island ...

'' – Te Kakahu skink *''

Oligosoma toka The Nevis skink (''Oligosoma toka'') is a nationally vulnerable species of skink native to New Zealand. It is named in honour of the location of its habitat, the Nevis valley. Conservation status As of 2012 the Department of Conservation ( ...

'' – Nevis skink *''

Oligosoma townsi The Mokohinau skink (''Oligosoma townsi''), also known commonly as Towns' skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand. Etymology The specific name, ''townsi'', is in honor of Kiwi herpetologist ...

'' - Mokohinau skink *''

Oligosoma waimatense The scree skink (''Oligosoma waimatense'') is a species of skink native to several sites throughout the South Island of New Zealand. A member of the family Scincidae, it was described by Geoff Patterson in 1997. It favours rocky habitats, parti ...

'' – scree skink *'' Oligosoma whitakeri'' – Whitaker's New Zealand skink *''

Oligosoma zelandicum The brown skink (''Oligosoma zelandicum'') is a species of skink native to New Zealand. Distribution The brown skink is relatively numerous and is found from Taranaki to Wellington in the North Island and in the Marlborough Sounds, Nelson and ...

'' – brown skink A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Oligosoma''.

Merger of ''Oligosoma'' and ''Cyclodina''

A molecular phylogenetic analysis has merged the genus ''Cyclodina'' with ''Oligosoma,'' rendering ''Cyclodina'' an obsolete taxon.

References

External links

North Island ''Oligosoma'' spp. skink recovery plan 2002–2012Conservation status of New Zealand reptiles, 2021
Reptiles of New Zealand Lizard genera Taxa named by Charles Frédéric Girard {{NewZealand-stub

Species

Merger of ''Oligosoma'' and ''Cyclodina''

References

Further reading

External links