Barrier skink
| Barrier skink | |
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| Species: | O. judgei
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| Binomial name | |
| Oligosoma judgei | |
The Barrier skink, Oligosoma judgei, is a species of medium-sized skink endemic to New Zealand where it lives in the alpine habitat of the Darran and Takitimu mountains of Fiordland. It is one of only 2 species of New Zealand skink 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[2] but was overlooked until rediscovery by a pair of mountain climbers in 2005; the species was scientifically described in 2009.
Etymology
The specific name, judgei, is in honor of Bronwyn Judge and Murray Judge, two New Zealand rock climbers who discovered this skink on Barrier Knob.[3]
Conservation Status
The conservation status of this species was thought to be secure, primarily because invasive mammalian predator populations could not become established in the harsh climate of the high alpine zone where they lived and also, because vast areas of undisturbed habitat remain intact.[4] However, in 2012 the Department of Conservation reclassified the Barrier Skink as Nationally Endangered under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[1]
References
- ^ a b Hitchmough, Rod; Anderson, Peter; Barr, Ben; Monks, Jo; Lettink, Marieke; Reardon, James; Tocher, Mandy; Whitaker, Tony (2012). "Conservation status of New Zealand reptiles, 2012" (PDF). Department of Conservation. The Government of New Zealand. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
- ^ Jewell, Tony. (2008). A Photographic Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of New Zealand. (Photographs by Rod Morris). New Zealand: New Holland Publishers. 144 pp. ISBN 978-1869662035.
- ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael, Grayson, Michael. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Oligosoma judgei, p. 137).
- ^ Patterson, Geoff B.; Bell, Trent P. (2009). "The Barrier skink, Oligosoma judgei n. sp. (Reptilia: Scincidae) from the Darran and Takitimu Mountains, South Island, New Zealand". Zootaxa 2271: 43-56.
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