Taxonomy
Red List Status -
Endangered (EN) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
Epibator greeri is listed as Endangered because it has a restricted distribution and it is known from only three localities (making three locations) and there is continuing decline in its extent and quality of its habitat and number of mature individuals due to a variety of threats.
Geographical area
Epibator greeri is endemic to New Caledonia. The species is known from two distant areas (Koumac and Koghis-Rivière Bleue). The extent of occurrence is estimated at 3,760 km2 and the area of occupancy at 16 km2.
Population
There is no information on population size and trends for Epibator greeri. The population in the north is expected to have suffered a substantial reduction in population size and extent in the past from the loss of forest habitat from clearance for agriculture, and logging, and from the effects of wildfires.
Habitat
There is no information on ecology or behaviour for this species. It is assumed to be diurnal and attracted to sunlight from comparison to the sister taxon Epibator nigrofasciolatum. As the gravid holotype was taken into captivity, the species is known to be oviparous with two eggs per clutch, and requiring 44 days of incubation for the eggs to hatch (Bauer and Sadlier 2000).
Threats
The main identified threats on Epibator greeri are the habitat loss and degradation from wildfires and predation pressure from introduced mammals such as rodents (Thibault 2017) and cats (Palmas 2017). The Koghi subpopulation may face disturbance from Noumea vicinity.
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 is present in the Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue. No conservation management is currently being undertaken. Additional survey is recommended, especially in Koumac as it was last observed in 1978.
Bibliography
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bauer, A.M. and Sadlier, R.A. 1993. Systematics, biogeography and conservation of the lizards of New Caledonia. Biodiversity Letters(1) , p.107-122.
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.
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.
Böhme, W. 1979. Eine neue Art der Gattung Leiolopisma Duméril et Bibron, 1839 aus Neukaledonien (Reptilia: Sauria: Scincidae).. Salamandra(15) , p.140-145.
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.