Taxonomy
Common name :
Scinque arboricole à ventre vert
Red List Status -
Least Concern (LC) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
Epibator nigrofasciolatus is listed as Least Concern because it is extremely widespread and is able to thrive in a wide range of disturbed and modified habitats.
Geographical area
This species is endemic to New Caledonia. It occurs throughout Grande Terre, and on Iles Belep, Ile des Pins, Iles Loyauté (Maré, Lifou, Ouvéa) and many smaller satellite islands. It can be found at elevations up to 1,000 m. The extent of occurrence is estimated at 72,420 km2 and the area of occupancy is estimated at 396 km2.
Population
There are no quantitative data on population size and trends for this species. However, any decreases associated with the widespread clearance of wooded habitats from low and mid-elevation areas in the past will have been partly offset by this species' ability to occupy modified habitats. It is still locally common at some sites.
Habitat
This species occurs in a very wide range of open and wooded habitats, including coastal sites, mangroves, littoral vegetation, savanna, sclerophyll forest, closed forest, montane forest and maquis shrublands. Also present in modified landscapes (farmland and plantations) and well-vegetated urban areas. It is diurnal, arboreal/terrestrial and is active in sunlight. It shelters in beneath stones, in crevices and holes in soil, rock and trees, and under loose bark. It forages from ground level to canopy height; typically basks on rocks and trees.
Threats
This species is threatened by further loss and fragmentation of wooded habitats through clearance for agriculture and afforestation, and to a lesser extent by mining and wildfires, particularly when these result in a highly simplified vegetation (e.g. exotic pasture). There is a potentially significant threat from Wasmannia auropunctatus at low to mid-elevations as this introduced ant is known to decimate lizard populations. Predation by introduced mammals (rodents and cats) is an ever-present issue.
Conservation
This species is protected in Province Nord under Code de l'environnement de la Province Nord (Délibération No. 306-2008/APN, 24 October 2008) and in Province Sud under Code de l'environnement de la Province Sud (Délibération No. 25-2009/APS, 20 March 2009). It is present in most reserves throughout New Caledonia. No specific conservation management is currently being undertaken.
Bibliography
Sadlier, R.A., Bauer, A.M., Shea, G.M. and Smith, S.A. 2015. Taxonomic resolution to the problem of polyphyly in the New Caledonian scincid lizard genus Lioscincus (Squamata: Scincidae). Records of the Australian Museum(67) , p.207-224.
Uetz, P. (ed.) 2017. The Reptile Database.
IUCN 2021. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-2.
Bauer, A.M. and Sadlier, R.A. 2000. The Herpetofauna of New Caledonia.
Jourdan, H., Sadlier, R.A. and Bauer, A.M. 2001. Little Fire Ant Invasion (Wasmannia auropunctata) as a threat to New Caledonian lizards: Evidences from a sclerophyll forest (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology(38) , p.283-301.
Jourdan, H., Sadlier, R.A. and Bauer, A.M. 2000. Premières observations sur les conséquences de l’invasion de Wasmannia auropunctata 1863 (Roger) sur les prédateurs supérieurs dans les écosystèmes Néo-calédoniens. Actes des collectes insectes sociaux(13) , p.121-126.
Sadlier, R.A., Bauer, A.M., Shea, G.M. and Smith, S.A. 2015. Taxonomic resolution to the problem of polyphyly in the New Caledonian scincid lizard genus Lioscincus (Squamata: Scincidae). Records of the Australian Museum(67) , p.207-224.
Experts
Assessor(s): Sadlier, R., Bauer, A., Jourdan, H., Astrongatt, S., Deuss, M., Duval, T., Bourguet, E., McCoy, S., Bouteiller, A., Lagrange, A.
Reviewer(s): Cox, N.
Contributor(s): Whitaker, A.
Facilitator(s): Warimavute, G., Tanguy, V., Lietar, J.