Added 20 December 2009. Last updated 31 January 2010 with an update on the revision to this genus.
The Scincidae
Cyclodina
Introduction
The genus Cyclodina is one of the two genera of native New Zealand Skinks. It can be distinguished from Oligosoma by having a complete uninterrupted row of subocular scales (in Oligosoma, this row is broken in two by the eye), although C. hardyi has the latter rather than the former characteristic. In addition Cyclodina are somewhat squarer in cross section than Oligosoma. Both genera are fairly typical of the "normal" scincid form, ie no major limb reduction and shiny, cycloid overlapping scales. Cyclodina is however much less widespread than Oligosoma, being confined to North Island and most of the genus in fact being further confined to offshore islands. One species, lichenigera, is found on the Australian territory of the Lord Howe and Norfolk islands group, 600km east of the Australian mainland in the Tasman sea but a greater distance from mainland New Zealand. In terms of activity Cyclodina tend to be crepuscular or nocturnal, although gravid females may bask in the sun. All are ovoviparous. Other interesting characteristics include the consumption by at least some species of plant matter and even of the contents of bird eggs (deliberately broken by, for example, C. lichenigera) and of regurgitated stomach oil by seabirds, the choice of coastline habitat in some and their association with seabird colonies.
Keying backward from the key to Australian Scincidae in Cogger, we arrive at the following characteristics for the genus: parietal shields in contact behind interparietal; frontoparietals paired; supranasals present, or nasal(s) divided; fewer than 30 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe; lower eyelid with small transparent disc and either moveable, or partly or totally fused to form a permanent spectacle; anterior auricular lobules present. Robb recognised that the Leiolopisma species later assigned to Cyclodina differed from those that were assigned to Oligosoma by being slower, squarer in cross section and stocky, with short tails and short, blunt snouts. Hardy (1977) summarised the genus as follows: small to medium-sized (snout-vent length up to 100 mm) terrestrial skinks lacking supranasals, with a movable lower eyelid and well developed prefrontals. Frontoparietals distinct; lower eyelid scaly or at least covered by one or two large, opaque scales not clearly differentiated from surrounding scales; suboculars in a continuous series (except in C. aenea from Aorangi Island). External ear opening well developed, lacking projecting scales on anterior margin; body squarish in cross-section, limbs well developed with shortened digits (particularly on front limbs). Brood size variable up to 8.
Until recently both Cyclodina and Oligosoma were considered part of the large Australo-Pacific genus Leiolopisma. The genus appears to be still in a taxonomic state of flux, with Jewell listing several forms with common names that lack full species names. See the JCVI reptile database for the most up to date details.
Cyclodina have been successfully kept in captivity in New Zealand, but it should be noted that like all NZ herpetofauna, their export outside the country is prohibited.
2010 update on Cyclodina
In January 2010 Dr Geoff Patterson kindly E-mailed me a copy of a paper by Chapple, Ritchie and Daugherty (2009) on the origin, diversification and systematics of New Zealand's skinks. On the basis of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data the paper concludes that New Zealand's skinks in fact form a single monophyletic (ie having a common ancestry) lineage, and consequently revises the classification of the skinks so that all are now considered Oligosoma species. C. pachystomaticum is also no longer recognised as a distinct species but considered a synonym of C. oliveri. The Oligosoma page which will be placed on this website will therefore also include all the Cyclodina species listed here, but we will retain a modified page on Cyclodina for reference purposes as some literature refers to the genus.
Many thanks to Dr Patterson for his bringing this to my attention.
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QUICK INDEX |
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| C. aenea, Copper Skink |
C. alani, Robust Skink |
C. hardyi, Hardy's Skink |
| C. levidensa, Slight Skink |
C. lichenigera, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands Skink |
C. macgregori, McGregor's Skink |
| C. northlandi, Northland Skink |
C. oliveri, Oliver's Skink |
C. ornata, Ornate Skink |
| C. pachystomaticum, Marbled Skink |
C. townsi, Towns' Skink |
C. whitakeri, Whitaker's Skink |
| Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
| Cyclodina |
| C. aenea |
Copper Skink |
New Zealand (North Island and outlying islands except Aupouri Peninsula, Poor Knights Island or Three Kings Island groups) |
SVL approx. 5½-6½ cm |
One of the more common North Island skinks: found in variety of suitable habitat, including coastlines, gardens and behind beaches. It is often found in the company of the Common Skink Oligosoma zelandica. Scalation details: ??. Dorsal scalation: ??. Ventral scalation: ??. Other: ??. Coloration: dorsally uniform shiny copper or with scattered light or dark flecks; narrow dorsolateral paler stripe (sometimes edged beneath with black) may be present, especially above shoulder; laterally grey to grey-brown, sometimes flushed with yellow, and sometimes with broad dark band, and with darker and lighter flecks; labials have alternating black/white denticulate pattern; ventrally, throat light grey and often flecked with black, belly uniform cream to green or yellowish green, and tail and hind limbs orange. Reproduction: young born Jan-Feb. [SOURCE: Jewell, Sharell] |
| C. alani |
Robust Skink |
New Zealand (Island groups off North Island from Aupouri Peninsula to Bay of Plenty) |
Max SVL approx 14cm, TL 25½cm |
Robb describes this as a strong and aggressive skink that will often bite fiercely and occasionally draw blood. Strongly nocturnal, spending the day in seabird burrows, under rocks or bushes on the steep slopes of its island homes. Scalation details: ??. Dorsal scalation: ??. Ventral scalation: ??. Other: tail tapers abruptly from very thick base. Coloration: dorsally coppery to dark brown with noticeable pale spots and grey flecking; narrow dorsolateral pale brown to copper stripe (sometimes edged with black), especially above shoulder; laterally grey to grey-brown or olive-brown, sometimes flushed with yellow, with darker and lighter flecks; labials have alternating black/white denticulate pattern; ventrally, throat grey and flecked with black, belly uniform cream to yellow. Reproduction: young born Jan-Feb.[SOURCE: Jewell, Robb] |
| C. hardyi |
Hardy's Skink |
New Zealand (Poor Knights islands) |
Max SVL approx 5½cm |
Found in forest, shrubland and above the shoreline. Scalation details: subocular scales interrupted. Dorsal scalation: ??. Ventral scalation: ??. Other: ??. Coloration: dorsally brown with prominent pale spots and dark flecking; narrow dorsolateral pale brown to copper stripe (sometimes edged below with black), especially above shoulder; laterally grey to grey-brown, with darker and lighter flecks; labials have alternating black/white denticulate pattern; ventrally, throat grey and flecked with black, belly uniform cream to yellow. Reproduction: ??. [SOURCE: ??] |
| C. levidensa |
Slight Skink |
New Zealand (upper Aupouri Peninsula, North Island, poss. also islands) |
Max SVL approx 5cm |
Smallest native skink of New Zealand. Mainland habitat is now mainly restricted to forest floor, but on islands occupies variety of habitat including coastline. Scalation details: ??. Dorsal scalation: ??. Ventral scalation: ??. Other: ??. Coloration: dorsally uniform brown or with darker middorsal stripe and/or darker and lighter flecks; narrow cream or copper dorsolateral stripe, sometimes edged with black, especially above shoulder; labials have black/white denticulate pattern; ventrally, uniform cream yellow, throat grey with black speckling. Reproduction: ??. [SOURCE: Jewell] |
| C. lichenigera |
Lord Howe and Norfolk Island Skink |
Australia (Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands plus outliers) |
SVL 8cm, TL 16cm |
Abundant on offshore islands but no longer so on Lord Howe Island itself. Cogger suggests apparently diurnal in winter, but nocturnal (and very active) in summer around the shoreline and above it. Scalation details: suture between rostral and frontonasal much narrower than frontal; 7 supraciliaries; frontoparietals paired. Dorsal scalation: smooth, 36-46 rows at midbody. Ventral scalation: ??. Other: 15-21 subdigital lamellae. Coloration: dorsally metallic-bronze or olive, either uniform or more usually with numerous small brown flecks or longitudinal streaks; head may be spotted in brown on top; pale golden dorsolateral stripe usually present, running from eye to tailbase and bordered below by wide dark brown dorsolateral area that usually encloses irregular dark brown spots and darker brown flecks; lower flanks pale brown with dark flecks, merging into ventral coloration; ventrally white or lemon-yellow; throat white or grey, usually with some dark greyish-brown flecks; limbs dorsally variegated with shades of brown; regenerated tail reddish-brown. Reproduction: no details available. [SOURCE: Cogger] |
| C. macgregori |
McGregor's Skink |
New Zealand (offshore islands of North Island only) |
Max SVL approx 11¼cm, TL 22cm |
Jewell states this species has suffered greatly from the introduction of mammalian predators, being once widespread on North Island but now confined to a few offshore islands that are widely separated. Its activity is crepuscular. Habitat is leaf litter on the floor of coastal forest but also in the vicinity of sea bird colonies, where it forages for insects among their nests and burrows. Scalation details: ??. Dorsal scalation: ??. Ventral scalation: ??. Other: triangular head [Robb]. Coloration: dorsally light to dark brown, either uniform or with elongated paler and darker streaks; no dorsolateral stripe, but irregular dark marking outlined in white above shoulder; whitish "teardrop" marking outlined in black below eye; lacks characteristic denticulate labial pattern of other Cyclodina skinks; laterally grey-brown with small pale streaks and blotches, often edged with black; ventrally, throat cream, usually with some dark flecking, belly yellowish, to pink, sometimes with dark flecking. Reproduction: litters of 2 (possibly more?) born February-March. [SOURCE: Jewell, Robb] |
| C. northlandi |
Northland Skink |
New Zealand (Northland) |
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Extinct species from late Holocene: no other details available. See JCVI reptile database. |
| C. oliveri |
Oliver's Skink |
New Zealand (Poor Knights Islands) |
Max SVL approx 11½cm |
A nocturnal skink with a low level of heat tolerance and rarely seen basking. It is partially vegetarian, including berries of coprosoma and native pepper in its diet. Normal habitat is forest floor, which receives little light, but it may also shelter in bird burrows. Scalation details: ??. Dorsal scalation: 37-44 rows at midbody. Ventral scalation: 88-97. Other: ??. Coloration: dorsally brown or olive-brown, either uniform or with indistinct mottling paler and darker streaks; no dorsolateral stripe; pale "teardrop" marking outlined in black below eye, often as part of black and white denticulate labial pattern; laterally grey-brown with pale blotches and blackish dorsolateral marking on neck to blackish with paler blotches; ventrally, cream, grey or brown, throat with some dark markings, belly usually with dark spots. Reproduction: young born early summer?. [SOURCE: Jewell, Robb] |
| C. ornata |
Ornate Skink |
New Zealand (North Island and outlying islands except Poor Knights Island or Three Kings Islands) |
SVL approx. 6½-8¼ cm |
Similar in distribution, habitat and frequency to C. aenea. Scalation details: ??. Dorsal scalation: 28-34 at midbody. Ventral scalation: 60-79. Other: 15-23 subdigital lamellae. Coloration: dorsally uniform brown to grey-brown or with many small black-edged blotches; dorsolateral pale straight or wavy stripe edged beneath with black may be present, especially above shoulder; individuals from Aupouri Peninsula may extensions of this characteristic running back and down from head to front limbs; characteristic white or yellow "teardrop" marking edged with black below eye; lacks characteristic denticulate labial pattern of other Cyclodina skinks; laterally brown, red-brown or grey-brown, with darker and lighter flecks; ventrally, throat cream to reddish, with heavy blackish flecking, belly yellowish, sometimes suffused with red, black spots may be present. Reproduction: young born Jan-Feb. [SOURCE:Jewell] |
| C. pachysomaticum |
Marbled Skink |
New Zealand (Alderman and Mercury Island groups off Coromandel Peninsula, North Island) |
SVL ??cm |
Considered synonymous with C. oliveri by JCVI reptile database, after most authorities, but described by Robb in 1975 and included by Jewell: the latter states that the black area on the neck is usually more extensive than in C. oliveri. Scalation details: ??. Dorsal scalation: 32-36 at midbody. Ventral scalation: 72-88 rows. Other: ??. Coloration: dorsally brown, usually with conspicuous light and dark flecking; dorsolateral pale straight or wavy stripe edged beneath with black may be present, especially above shoulder; characteristic pale "teardrop" marking edged with black below eye, often forming part of black and white denticulate labial pattern; laterally grey-brown, with paler flecks which are usually outlined in black, and with a dark brown or black area on the upper side of the neck; ventrally, cream, grey or brown, throat densely speckled with black, belly lightly or heavily so. Reproduction: 2-4 young born March-April. [SOURCE: Jewell, Robb] |
| C. townsi |
Towns' Skink, Mokohinau Skink |
New Zealand (Mokohina- and Hen and Chicken islands groups, Great and Little Barrier Islands) |
SVL 9½cm |
This would appear to be the species described in Jewell as Cyclodina sp. 5. It is a forest floor dweller. Scalation details: ??. Dorsal scalation: 37-44 at midbody. Ventral scalation: 88-98. Other: ??. Coloration: dorsally brown, often with irregular light and dark flecking; dorsolateral pale straight or wavy stripe edged beneath with black may be present, especially above shoulder; characteristic pale "teardrop" marking edged with black below eye, forming part of black and white denticulate labial pattern; laterally grey-brown, with small paler spots which are usually outlined in black, and with a dark brown or black area above the shoulder; ventrally, cream or grey, throat densely speckled with black, belly lightly or heavily so. Reproduction: ??. [SOURCE: Jewell] |
| C. whitakeri |
Whitaker's Skink |
New Zealand (Wellington [see notes] and small islands off Coromandel Peninsula, North Island) |
SVL approx 8-10cm |
Fragmented in distribution: Wellington population apparently nearing extinction [Jewell]. Found in leaf litter on the forest floor or in rocky coastal scrub. Scalation details: ??. Dorsal scalation: ??. Ventral scalation: 84-99. Other: head deep set. Coloration: dorsally yellow- to dark brown, with dark and light flecking that may be obscure or prominent; characteristic pale "teardrop" marking edged with black below eye; lacks characteristic denticulate labial pattern of other Cyclodina skinks; laterally yellow, cream or brown, often heavily mottled with black especially in the neck region, to the degree that the animal may appear to be black with paler spots; ventrally, throat whitish grey with varying degrees of black flecking, belly yellow, either immaculate or with light degree of spotting, undersurfaces of hind limbs, cloaca and tail orange. Reproduction: 1-3 young born April. [SOURCE: Jewell] |
Bibliography
The tuatara, lizards and frogs of New Zealand, Richard Sharell, William Collins, Auckland 1975. Taxonomy now rather outdated, and with fairly general details on a selection of the principal reptiles and amphibians, but still useful, and also has a section on Sphenodon and its place in Maori culture. The 1975 edition contains an addendum on Leiolopisma suteri (now Oligosoma suteri).
New Zealand Reptiles and Amphibians, Joan Robb, William Collins, Auckland 1980. All native skinks herein are assigned to Leiolopisma, but the book still gives handy details and very useful maps.
A Photographic Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians of New Zealand, Tony Jewell, New Holland 2008. Handy pocket-sized field guide to the country's herpetology.
Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Harold Cogger, 6th edition, Reed New Holland 2000. This edition lists C. lichenigera as a Pseudemoia species in the main body of the text, but assigns it to Cyclodina in the Appendix.
"Origin, diversification and systematics of the New Zealand skink fauna (Reptilia: Scincidae)", D G Chapple, P A Ritchie, C H Daugherty, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 52: 470-487, 2009.
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