Taxonomy
Common name :
Le scinque de litière du Nord
Northern Litter Skink Red List Status -
Near Threatened (NT) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
Even though the extent of occurrence and area of occupancy are below the threshold values for Vulnerable, the population is significantly greater than 10,000 individuals, the reduction in population size expected to be < 30% and the species is present at >10 locations. However, because of the threats this species faces from habitat loss and degradation and invasive species, a Near Threatened status is appropriate as it almost qualifies for listing under criterion B1ab(iii).
Geographical area
This species is endemic to province Nord, New Caledonia. It is widespread in the ranges north from Ponérihouen and is also known in Ile Yandé. It occurs at elevations up to 1,000 m. The extent of occurrence is estimated at 4,509 km2 and the area of occupancy at 136 km2.
Population
There are no quantitative data on population size and trends for this species. It is presumed to have suffered a significant reduction in population size and extent in the past with habitat loss and degradation resulting from wildfires, clearance for agriculture and grazing, and from mining activities on the ultramafic massifs in the northwest. Caledoniscincus aquilonius is still locally abundant at sites where good habitat remains.
Habitat
This species occurs in closed forest and montane forest. It is diurnal, terrestrial, and is active in sunlight. It shelters in litter and basks and forages in sunlit patches.
Threats
The greatest threat to this species is further habitat loss and degradation for which the primary causes are expected to be wildfires encroaching into forest habitat from adjacent shrublands and savanna, and the expansion of the nickel mining industry on the ultramafic massifs in the northwest. Habitat degradation by livestock at low elevations and by introduced ungulates (deer and pigs) throughout is also a risk. The introduced ant, Wasmannia auropunctatus, which is known to decimate lizard populations, is present in low and mid-elevation forests and will be a serious threat. Predation by introduced mammals (rodents and feral cats) is a further issue (Thibault 2017, Palmas 2017).
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 the Réserve de Nature Sauvage du Mt Panié. No conservation management is currently being undertaken, but this species may potentially benefit from proposed predator control in the La Guèn catchment on Mt Panié.
Bibliography
Thibault, M., Brescia, F., Vidal, E. and Jourdan, H. 2017. Invasive rodents, an overlooked threat for skinks in a tropical island hotspot of biodiversity. New Zealand Ecological Society(41) , p.74-83.
Uetz, P. (ed.) 2017. The Reptile Database.
Sadlier, R.A., Bauer, A.M. and Colgan, D.J. 1999. The scincid lizard genus Caledoniscincus (Reptilia: Scincidae) from New Caledonia in the Southwest Pacific: a review of Caledoniscincus austrocaledonicus (Bavay) and description of six new species from Province Nord. Records of the Australian Museum(51) , p.57-82.
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. 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.
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.
Palmas, P., Jourdan, H., Rigault, F., Debar, L., De Meringo, H., Bourguet, E., Mathivet, M., Lee, M., Adjouhgniope, R., Papillon, Y. and Bonnaud, E. 2017. Feral cats threaten the outstanding endemic fauna of the New Caledonia biodiversity hotspot. Biological Conservation(214) , p.250-259.
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): Tanguy, V., Warimavute, G., Lietar, J.