Burgan skink

Burgan skink

Nationally Endangered (NZ TCS)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Oligosoma
Species: O. burganae
Binomial name
Oligosoma burganae
Chapple, Bell, Chapple, Miller, Patterson & Daugherty, 2011
Synonyms
  • Leiolopisma inconspicuum Patterson & Daugherty 1990
  • Leiolopisma nigriplantare maccanni Patterson 1984

The Burgan skink, Oligosoma burganae, is a nationally endangered species of skink native to New Zealand.[1] It was described from a specimen found near the Burgan Stream, in the Rock and Pillar Range, Central Otago.[2]

Appearance

The Burgan skink has a glossy brown colour with a yellow grey abdomen. It has minimal or no scales on the interior edge of its ear opening and only three supraocular scales on the crown above the eye. It has a head that is blunter than similar Oligosoma species.[3]

Habitat

The Burgan skinks preferred habitat are herbs and shrubs above 900 m in the mountainous regions of the Rock and Pillar Ranges as well as in the Lammermoor ranges of Central Otago.[4]

Conservation status

As of 2012 the Department of Conservation (DOC) classified the Burgan skink as Nationally Endangered under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[1] A 2012 survey in the Lammermoor and Rock and Pillar Ranges did not reveal any sightings of Burgan skinks.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hitchmough, Rod; Anderson, Peter; Barr, Ben; Monks, Jo; Lettink, Marieke; Reardon, James; Tocher, Mandy; Whitaker, Tony. "Conservation status of New Zealand reptiles, 2012" (PDF). Department of Conservation. The Government of New Zealand. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  2. ↑ Chapple, David G.; Bell, Trent P.; Chapple, Stephanie N.J.; Miller, Kimberly A.; Daugherty, Charles H.; Patterson, Geoff B. (2011). "Phylogeography and taxonomic revision of the New Zealand cryptic skink (Oligosoma inconspicuum; Reptilia: Scincidae) species complex" (PDF). Zootaxa 2782: 1–33. ISSN 1175-5334. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Oligosoma burganae CHAPPLE, BELL, CHAPPLE, MILLER, DAUGHERTY & PATTERSON, 2011". The Reptile Database. The Reptile Database. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Oligosoma burganae". Atlas of the amphibians and reptiles of New Zealand. The Department of Conservation. Retrieved 20 July 2015.

External Links

Wikispecies has information related to: Oligosoma burganae
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