Australian Museum Journal A new species of Nannoscincus Günther (Squamata: Scincidae) from high elevation forest in southern New Caledonia
- Shortform:
- Sadlier et al., 2006, Rec. Aust. Mus. 58(1): 29–36
- Author(s):
- Sadlier, Ross A.; Bauer, Aaron M.; Smith, Sarah A.
- Year published:
- 2006
- Title:
- A new species of Nannoscincus Günther (Squamata: Scincidae) from high elevation forest in southern New Caledonia
- Serial title:
- Records of the Australian Museum
- Volume:
- 58
- Issue:
- 1
- Start page:
- 29
- End page:
- 36
- DOI:
- 10.3853/j.0067-1975.58.2006.1458
- Language:
- English
- Date published:
- 10 May 2006
- Cover date:
- 10 May 2006
- ISSN:
- 0067-1975
- CODEN:
- RAUMAJ
- Publisher:
- The Australian Museum
- Place published:
- Sydney, Australia
- Subjects:
- REPTILIA; TAXONOMY; NEW CALEDONIA
- Digitized:
- 10 May 2006
- Available online:
- 10 May 2006
- Reference number:
- 1458
- EndNote package:
- EndNote file
- Title page:
- Title page (33kb PDF)
- Complete work:
- Complete work (370kb PDF)
Abstract
A new species of Nannoscincus from relictual high elevation closed forest is described from southern New Caledonia. This species is most similar in appearance to Nannoscincus gracilis, but can be distinguished by its large size and a suite of distinctive scalation characters. Further, it is the only species of Nannoscincus recorded as being able to vocalise. The species is known only from closed forest patches on Pic Ningua and adjacent Mt Çidoa at around 1000 m in altitude. The overall extent of this habitat is small, fragmented, and in an area that is actively mined. As such the species is regarded as at risk, and the level of threat as Vulnerable.