Taxonomy
Common name :
Scinque de litière de Mandjélia
Mandjélia litter skink Red List Status -
Vulnerable (VU) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
This species is listed as Data Deficient because specialists have some doubts on its taxonomy. It is recommended to carry out more surveys in order to collect new specimens and to pursue taxonomic work.
Geographical area
As it is actually known, this taxa is endemic to the Province Nord of New Caledonia. Its distribution is limited to Mt Mandjélia in northeastern Grande Terre. It occurs at elevations from 500 to 760 m. The extent of occurrence and the area of occupancy are estimated at 8 km2.
Population
Although there is no detailed information on population size and trends for this species, it is assumed to have suffered a reduction in population size and extent in the past from habitat loss and degradation associated with clearance for agriculture, logging and wildfires. However, it is still relatively common at the sites where it occurs.
Habitat
This species inhabits mid-elevation closed forest; sheltering beneath litter and basking and foraging in sunlit-patches. It is terrestrial, diurnal, and active in sunlight.
Threats
The main threat to Caledoniscincus terma would be further habitat loss and degradation resulting from wildfires, logging and possibly afforestation with pine plantations. There is a level of threat from the introduced ant Wasmannia auropunctata, which is known to decimate lizard populations (Jourdan et al. 2000, 2001). Habitat degradation by introduced ungulates (deer and pigs) damaging litter layers and predation by introduced mammals (rodents and feral cats) are also of concern.
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). This species does not occur in any protected area. Although it is common where it occurs, it is highly restricted and there are several ongoing threatening processes. Additional research to clarify the taxonomic status of this species is required.
Bibliography
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.
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., Lietar, J., Tanguy, V.