New Zealand Frogs & Reptiles

DSC_3142 Nevis skink (Oligosoma toka) adult amongst rock and Blechnum fern. Currently known from the lower Nevis Valley and adjacent mountains to 1,020 m asl. It may possibly be in the Hector and Garvie Mountains. Genetic analysis shows it has a deep genetic divergence from the Cryptic skink and from two close relatives; the Burgan skink (O. burganae) and the Eyre Mountains skink (O. repens). It is abundant around historical gold tailings alongside the Nevis River and in natural rock formations. It has one of the more restricted ranges for any mainland skink. Schoolhouse Flat, Nevis Valley *

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DSC_3142 Nevis skink (Oligosoma toka) adult amongst rock and Blechnum fern. Currently known from the lower Nevis Valley and adjacent mountains to 1,020 m asl. It may possibly be in the Hector and Garvie Mountains. Genetic analysis shows it has a deep genetic divergence from the Cryptic skink and from two close relatives; the Burgan skink (O. burganae) and the Eyre Mountains skink (O. repens). It is abundant around historical gold tailings alongside the Nevis River and in natural rock formations. It has one of the more restricted ranges for any mainland skink. Schoolhouse Flat, Nevis Valley *

DSC_3142 Nevis skink Oligosoma inconspicuum adult Nevis Valley gold tailings saxicolous toka