Taxonomy
Nannoscincus exos
Common name :
Le scinque nain du Nord
Northern Dwarf Skink Red List Status -
Critically Endangered (CR) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
This species is listed as Critically Endangered because it has a very restricted distribution with an estimation of one single location and there is a continuing decline in its area of occupancy, the extent and quality of its habitat and the number of mature individuals. There is a very high risk from wildfires and invasive species throughout its range.
Geographical area
This species is endemic to Province Nord, New Caledonia. It is known only from two close localities (7 km apart) in the Hienghène area in the north-eastern ranges of Grande Terre. It occurs at elevations between 100 and 800 m. The extent of occurrence and the area of occupancy are estimated at 8 km2.
Population
There is no information on population size and trends (only two specimens known). It is presumed to have suffered a reduction in area of occupancy from the loss of closed forest habitat at low-elevation through clearance and wildfires.
Habitat
This species inhabits closed humid forest. It is cryptozoic, semi-fossorial; terrestrial. It shelters beneath logs and stones and forages through leaf litter.
Threats
The greatest threats to this species are the habitat loss at low-elevation from clearance of closed humid forest for agriculture, the damages to forest margins from pig and the high densities of the introduce ant Wasmannia auropunctata in low to mid-elevation closed forests as it is known to decimate lizard populations (Jourdan et al. 2000, 2001). Other threat is habitat degradation by deer.
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 not present in any reserves and no conservation management is currently being undertaken.
Bibliography
Endemia.nc 2016. Faune et Flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Morat, P.; Jaffré, T.; Tronchet, F.; Munzinger, J.; Pillon, Y.; Veillon, J.-M. and Chalopin, M. 2012. Le référentiel taxonomique Florical et les caractéristiques de la flore vasculaire indigène de la Nouvelle-Calédonie [The taxonomic database « FLORICAL » and characteristics of the indigenous flora of New Caledonia]. Adansonia sér 3(34) , p.177-219.
Hallé N.; Aubréville A.; Leroy J. F.; 1977. Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances. Volume 08 : Orchidaceae.
Experts
Assessor(s): Laudereau, C., Butin, J., Antheaume, C., Cazé, H., Cazé, H., Fleurot, D., Garnier, D., Gâteblé, G., Maura, J.
Reviewer(s): Tanguy, V.
Facilitator(s): Tanguy, V., Maura, J.