Taxonomy
Red List Status -
Endangered (EN) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
Nannoscincus fuscus is listed as Endangered (criteria B1ab(ii,iii,v)+2ab(ii,iii,v) because it is restricted to four localities in the Province Sud, with the extent of occurrence (EOO) estimated at 182 km2 and the area of occupancy (AOO) at 20 km2. There is a continuing decline in the area of occupancy, extent and quality of habitat and number of mature individuals due to a variety of threats.
Geographical area
Nannoscincus fuscus is endemic to Province Sud in New Caledonia. It occurs in four localities from Mont Vulcain to Mont Ouin, at elevations between 300 and 1,200 m. The extent of occurrence is estimated at 182 km2 and the area of occupancy at 20 km2.
Population
There is no information on population size or trends. It is presumed that development of a large nickel mine on the Mont Vulcain has caused further habitat loss and led to a decline in the number of mature individuals, as well as fragmentation of the population.
Habitat
This species is found in altitudinal moist forest.
Threats
The greatest threats to Nannoscincus fuscus are habitat loss and degradation from the nickel industry on the Mont Vulcain and from wildfires on all localities. Other threats include habitat degradation by introduced ungulates (deer and pigs, Jourdan 2006 and 2014).
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 Réserve Naturelle du Mont Mou but no species-specific conservation management is currently being undertaken.
Bibliography
Uetz, P. (ed.) 2017. The Reptile Database.
Endemia.nc 2016. Faune et Flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Hély-Alleaume 2012. INC : Incendies et biodiversité des éco-systèmes en Nouvelle-Calédonie.
L'Huillier L.; Jaffré T. and Wulff A. 2010. Mines et Environnement en Nouvelle-Calédonie : les milieux sur substrats ultramafiques et leur restauration.
Sadlier, R.A., Bauer, A.M.,Wood Jr., P.L., Smith, S.A., Whitaker, A.H. and Jackman, T.R. 2014. Cryptic speciation in the New Caledonian lizard genus Nannoscincus (Reptilia: Scincidae) including the description of a new species and recognition of Nannoscincus fuscus Günther. Memoires du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle(206) , p.45-68.
Sadlier, R.A., Bauer, A.M.,Wood Jr., P.L., Smith, S.A., Whitaker, A.H. and Jackman, T.R. 2014. Cryptic speciation in the New Caledonian lizard genus Nannoscincus (Reptilia: Scincidae) including the description of a new species and recognition of Nannoscincus fuscus Günther. Memoires du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle(206) , p.45-68.
Jourdan, H., Brescia, F. and Vidal, E. 2014. Programme R_Mines.Impact des espèces invasives sur les communautés de reptiles des massifs miniers.
IUCN 2021. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-2.
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): Butin, J., Jumel, M., Cassan, J., Fleurot, D.
Facilitator(s): Lietar, J., Tanguy, V., Warimavute, G.