Oligosoma smithi, commonly known as the shore skink,[2]short-tailed skink,[2]Smith's ground skink,[3]Smith's moco,[4] and Smith's skink,[2] is a species of lizard in the familyScincidae (skinks) that is native to New Zealand.
Oligosoma smithi is small species of skink, growing to a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 8 cm (3.1 in). It is well camouflaged, and may be found in a range of colours, sometimes almost black.
Distribution and habitatedit
The species is native to the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand. It is always found near the shoreline and prefers open areas such as around driftwood at the high tide mark.[2]
Behavioredit
Oligosoma smithi is diurnal (active during the day) and spends most of its time hunting or basking in the sun.[citation needed] It eats insects and probably anything that moves and fits in its mouth.[citation needed]
Like most New Zealand skinks, it is viviparous (reproduces by giving birth to live young).[citation needed]
The specific name, smithi, is in honor of British naval officer Lt Alexander Smith who collected the original specimens in the 1840s, and presented them to his uncle John Edward Gray, who described the new species.[3]
Referencesedit
^"Oligosoma smithi ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
^ abcd"Shore Skink". Hamilton Zoo. Hamilton Zoo. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
^ abBeolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5. (Oligosoma smithi, p. 246).
^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. New Zealand Government. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
Further readingedit
Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. ... Scincidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Lygosoma smithii, pp. 274–275).
Gray JE (1845). Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collection of the British Museum. London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Edward Newman, printer). xxviii + 289 pp. (Mocoa smithii, new species, pp. 82–83).
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oligosoma smithi.
3D model of a Shore skink (NOT showing natural colours)
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oligosoma, smithi, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2020, le. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Oligosoma smithi news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2020 Learn how and when to remove this message Oligosoma smithi commonly known as the shore skink 2 short tailed skink 2 Smith s ground skink 3 Smith s moco 4 and Smith s skink 2 is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae skinks that is native to New Zealand Oligosoma smithi Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Squamata Family Scincidae Genus Oligosoma Species O smithi Binomial name Oligosoma smithi Gray 1845 Synonyms 1 Mocoa smithii Gray 1845 Lygosomella aestuosa Girard 1857 Lampropholis smithii Fitzinger 1861 Euprepes smithii Steindachner 1869 Norbea isolata Hutton 1872 Lygosoma smithii Boulenger 1887 Lygosoma Leiolopisma smithi M A Smith 1937 Leiolopisma smithii Mittleman 1952 Lygosomella smithi Wells amp Wellington 1985 Oligosoma smithi Patterson amp Daugherty 1995 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Behavior 4 Conservation status 5 Etymology 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksDescription edit nbsp Scientific specimen collected from the Mercury Islands Oligosoma smithi is small species of skink growing to a snout to vent length SVL of 8 cm 3 1 in It is well camouflaged and may be found in a range of colours sometimes almost black Distribution and habitat editThe species is native to the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand It is always found near the shoreline and prefers open areas such as around driftwood at the high tide mark 2 Behavior editOligosoma smithi is diurnal active during the day and spends most of its time hunting or basking in the sun citation needed It eats insects and probably anything that moves and fits in its mouth citation needed Like most New Zealand skinks it is viviparous reproduces by giving birth to live young citation needed Conservation status editAs of 2012 the Department of Conservation DOC classified Oligosoma smithi as Not Threatened under the New Zealand Threat Classification System 5 Etymology editThe specific name smithi is in honor of British naval officer Lt Alexander Smith who collected the original specimens in the 1840s and presented them to his uncle John Edward Gray who described the new species 3 References edit Oligosoma smithi The Reptile Database www reptile database org a b c d Shore Skink Hamilton Zoo Hamilton Zoo Retrieved 13 December 2015 a b Beolens Bo Watkins Michael Grayson Michael 2011 The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press xiii 296 pp ISBN 978 1 4214 0135 5 Oligosoma smithi p 246 Gray 1845 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 New Zealand Government Retrieved 18 July 2015 Further reading editBoulenger GA 1887 Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum Natural History Second Edition Volume III Scincidae London Trustees of the British Museum Natural History Taylor and Francis printers xii 575 pp Plates I XL Lygosoma smithii pp 274 275 Gray JE 1845 Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collection of the British Museum London Trustees of the British Museum Edward Newman printer xxviii 289 pp Mocoa smithii new species pp 82 83 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oligosoma smithi 3D model of a Shore skink NOT showing natural colours nbsp This New Zealand related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This Lygosominae article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Oligosoma smithi amp oldid 1223096230, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
