Taxonomy
Common name :
Le scinque à queue en fouet du Sud
Southern Whiptailed Skink Red List Status -
Least Concern (LC) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
Although the extent of occurrence and area of occupancy fall within the thresholds for the threat categories, Tropidoscincus variabilis remains very widespread within its range and is locally numerous. Hence, it is listed as Least Concern.
Geographical area
This species is endemic to Province Sud, New Caledonia. It is widespread in the southern part of Grande Terre (northernmost localities is Forêt de Saille). It occurs at elevations of up to 1,000 m. The extent of occurrence is estimated at 2,879 km2 and the area of occupancy is at 168 km2.
Population
Past loss and degradation of forest and maquis shrubland habitats by wildfires is expected to have reduced population size and extent and led to fragmentation. There have also been some habitat loss from clearance for mining and logging. However, although there are no detailed data on population size and trends for Tropidoscincus variabilis, this species is able to occupy disturbed habitats and is still relatively abundant at some sites.
Habitat
This species inhabits a wide range of habitats including coastal vegetation, maquis shrublands at all elevations, closed forests and montane forests. It is diurnal, terrestrial and is active in sunlight. It shelters beneath logs and rocks, and rock crevices; forages in the open or in sunlit patches on the forest floor.
Threats
The primary threat to this species is the further loss or degradation of habitat, particularly from wildfires in maquis shrublands and their associated damage to forest margins, and to a lesser extent from mining (Grand Sud and Tontouta Valley) and afforestation (Grand Sud). Habitat quality is also threatened by introduced ungulates (deer and pigs). In low to mid-elevation forests the invasive ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, is expected to have a severe impact as it is known to decimate lizard populations (Jourdan et al. 2000, 2001) and in the maquis in the Grand Sud another invasive ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes, may be just as damaging. Predation by introduced mammals (rodents and cats) is an 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 Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue and a number of other reserves in the south including Mount Humboldt, Mount Mou and Forêt Cachée. No active conservation management is currently being undertaken.
Bibliography
Uetz, P. (ed.) 2017. The Reptile Database.
IUCN 2021. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-2.
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.
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.
Shea, G., Jourdan, H., Sadlier, R. and Bauer, A. 2009. Natural history of the New Caledonian whiptailed skink Tropidoscincus variabilis (Bavay, 1869) (Squamata: Scincidae).. Amphibia-Reptilia(30) , p.207-220.
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): Lietar, J., Warimavute, G., Tanguy, V.