identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
0390B574CB132B3FFF2EE457FBD0F84E.text	0390B574CB132B3FFF2EE457FBD0F84E.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Oligosoma infrapunctatum (Boulenger 1887)	<div><p>Oligosoma infrapunctatum (Boulenger 1887)</p><p>Figure 3</p><p>Synonyms</p><p>Lygosoma infrapunctatum</p><p>BOULENGER 1887; WERNER 1895; ( Leiolopisma: Boulenger): SMITH 1937; McCANN 1955</p><p>Leiolopisma infrapunctata</p><p>(Boulenger): MITTLEMAN 1952</p><p>Leiolopisma infrapunctatum</p><p>(Boulenger): McCANN 1955; (Boulenger): McCANN 1956; (Boulenger): SHARELL 1966; (Boulenger): WHITAKER 1968; (Boulenger): SOPER 1970; (Boulenger): WHITAKER 1970; (Boulenger): TOWNS 1971; (Boulenger): SCHIPPER 1972; (Boulenger): TOWNS &amp; HAYWARD 1973; (Boulenger): GREER 1974; (Boulenger): ROBB 1974; (Boulenger): BULL &amp; WHITAKER 1975; (Boulenger): GUNDY &amp; WURST 1976; (Boulenger): WHITAKER 1976; (Boulenger): HARDY 1977</p><p>Oligosoma infrapunctatum</p><p>WELLS &amp; WELLINGTON 1985; GREAVES et al. 2008; CHAPPLE et al. 2009; JEWELL &amp; MORRIS 2008, 2011; TOWNS et al. 2012; BELL 2014</p><p>Holotype. 1946.8.16.12 (New Zealand) (purchased off G. Krefft (sic), date and locality unknown). Loan arranged between the British Museum (BMNH; London) and Te Papa, National Museum of New Zealand (NMNZ; Wellington).</p><p>Diagnosis. The specimen’s characteristics clearly distinguish it as a member of Oligosoma (Patterson &amp; Daugherty 1995) . The specimen is similar to many of the species described in the current paper in overall proportions, scalation and colouration, particularly the ventral speckling. This, and the distinguishing features presented above which exclude other superficially similar species confirm that it is a member of the group of species discussed here as the O. infrapunctatum complex. It can be distinguished from other members of the infrapunctatum complex by the following characters (Figure 4 a–j)—S-Ear/EF ( O. infrapunctatum 0.8; O. robinsoni 0.9–1.2; O. salmo sp. nov. 1–1.2), MS ( O. infrapunctatum 34; O. auroraensis sp. nov. 30–32), VS ( O. infrapunctatum 83; O. albornense sp. nov. 65–68; O. salmo sp. nov. 59–69), upper ciliaries ( O. infrapunctatum 7; O. albornense sp. nov. 5–6), supraciliaries ( O. infrapunctatum 6; O. salmo sp. nov. 5), supralabial count ( O. infrapunctatum 8; O. auroraensis sp. nov. 7; O. salmo sp. nov. 7), SVL/HLL ( O. infrapunctatum 2.8; O. salmo sp. nov. 3–4.3). The boxplots also show statistically significant differences between O. infrapunctatum and all the other species in this paper.</p><p>The AG/SF and SVL/FTL values for O. infrapunctatum are unlikely to have arisen from the distribution of values of O. newmani and O. salmo . The subdigital lamella count is unlikely to have arisen from the distribution of values of any of the other species in this paper, except O. auroraensis . Similarly, for SVL/ HLL, where the only species with a possibly comparable distribution is O. auroraensis . The S-Ear/EF value for O. infrapunctatum is unlikely to have arisen from the distribution of values of any of the other species in this paper.</p><p>O. infrapunctatum also has a scale between the prefrontals that is not found in any of the other species in this paper. The O. infrapunctatum type shows some similarity to the undescribed Hokitika population of Clade 2a; they share the additional scale between the pre-frontals and a tendency for the ventral spots to be arranged in longitudinal rows; both features not seen in other members of the complex described here. However, they differ considerably in ventral scale counts (mean of 74 vs 83 in O. infrapunctatum), AG/SF (mean of 1.6 vs 1.3 in O. infrapunctatum) and in having 7 supralabials vs 8 in O. infrapunctatum . Similar differences (including the lack of a scale between the prefrontals) exist between other undescribed taxa in the Greaves et al. (2008) paper and this specimen.</p><p>Description of Holotype. Habit lacertiform, body elongate, oval in cross-section; limbs well developed, pentadactyl. Lower eyelid with a transparent palpebral disc, bordered on sides and below by small, oblong granules. Snout moderately blunt. Nostril centred in lower middle of nasal, not touching bottom edge of nasal, pointing up and back. Supranasals absent. Rostral broader than deep. Frontonasal broader than long, separated from frontal by a small scale. Frontal longer than broad, shorter than frontoparietal and interparietal together, in contact with 2 anteriormost supraoculars. Supraoculars 4, 2 nd largest. Preoculars, 2, upper one larger. Frontoparietals distinct, larger than the interparietal. A pair of parietals meeting behind interparietal and bordered posteriorly by a pair of nuchals and temporals, also in contact with interparietal, frontoparietal, 4 th supraocular, and 2 postoculars. Loreals 2, similar size; anterior loreal in contact with 1 st and 2 nd supralabial, posterior loreal, prefrontal, frontonasal, and nasal; posterior loreal in contact with 2 nd and 3 rd supralabial, 1 st subocular, upper and lower preocular, prefrontal, and anterior loreal. Supralabials 8, 7 th largest. Infralabials 6 (l), 7 (r), several equally largest. Sixth supralabial below centre of the eye. Temporals: 1 primary; 2 secondary. Ear opening round, moderately large (1.8% as percentage of SVL) with several small projecting granules on anterior margin. Suboculars 6, 3 rd and 4 th separated by 6 th supralabial. Mental broader but shallower than rostral. Postmental larger than mental. Chinshields 3 pairs. Dorsal scales largest, weakly striate. Ventral scales and subdigital lamellae smooth.</p><p>Adpressed limbs not meeting. Digits moderately long, subcylindrical. Third front digit similar length to the 4 th.</p><p>Measurements (in mm; holotype only). SVL 79.8, HL 12.1, HW 7.2, AG 39.3, SF 30.6, S-Ear 14.5, EF 17.4, HLL 29; D-Ear 1.5.</p><p>Counts and ratios (holotype only). Upper ciliaries 7; lower ciliaries 10; nuchals 3 pair; midbody scale rows 34; ventral scale rows 83; subdigital lamellae 22; supraciliaries 6; suboculars 6. AG/SF 1.28; S-Ear/EF 0.83; HL/ HW 1.68.</p><p>Colouration. Dorsal surface with dark flecking, 6 scale rows wide, grading into pale dorsolateral stripe extending from behind eye to base of tail, becoming indistinct thereafter. This pale stripe extends into brown lateral stripe two or more scale rows wide, notched on upper and lower edges, running from behind nostril through eye towards tip of tail. This band is bordered on each edge by a dark band 1 to 2 half-scale rows wide running above the limbs and becoming indistinct after hindlimb. The lower dark band is bordered below by a pale stripe, 1 to 2 half-scale rows wide running from below the eye, above or through the ear, above the limbs to become indistinct after the hindlimbs. This band is bounded below by a darker band breaking up into a ventral pale colour. Throat, belly and undersurface of tail speckled with darker flecks. Throat grey. Outer surface of forelimbs speckled.</p><p>[colour from photos]</p><p>Etymology. The Latin name means ‘spotted below’. The currently accepted vernacular name is ‘speckled skink’ (Bell 2014); however, since this species is not conspecific with O. newmani which is widely known as the speckled skink, ‘Boulenger’s speckled skink’ is suggested for O. infrapunctatum .</p><p>Natural History. Despite the various studies of O. aff. infrapunctatum sensu lato by various authors over decades, no studies actually have been undertaken on O. infrapunctatum itself as no extant populations are known today. Hence, this species remains a complete enigma.</p><p>Discussion. We unsuccessfully attempted to obtain DNA for sequencing from the type specimen. Based on the morphological differences outlined above (see Diagnosis), we are confident that it is not conspecific with any of the other species described in this paper, or in Greaves et al. (2008). It does share apparently derived characters with the undescribed population of Clade 2a from Hokitika, but also differs substantially in scale counts from the two specimens and one set of photographs of a live animal available from that population (see Diagnosis). Additional specimens may fill the gap in scale counts between these inadequate samples, which would mean that the “Hokitika skink” is O. infrapunctatum . Alternatively, O. infrapunctatum may be extinct or a small population may await rediscovery. There is no doubt that it is at least seriously threatened, if not extinct.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0390B574CB132B3FFF2EE457FBD0F84E	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Melzer, Sabine;Hitchmough, Rod A.;Bell, Trent;Chapple, David G.;Patterson, Geoff B.	Melzer, Sabine, Hitchmough, Rod A., Bell, Trent, Chapple, David G., Patterson, Geoff B. (2019): Lost and Found: Taxonomic revision of the speckled skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum; Reptilia; Scincidae) species complex from New Zealand reveals a potential cryptic extinction, resurrection of two species, and description of three new species. Zootaxa 4623 (3): 441-484, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4623.3.2
0390B574CB0C2B3AFF2EE5E7FC88FBFF.text	0390B574CB0C2B3AFF2EE5E7FC88FBFF.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Oligosoma newmani Wells & Wellington 1985	<div><p>Oligosoma newmani Wells &amp; Wellington 1985</p><p>Figures 5a, b</p><p>Synonyms</p><p>Lygosoma infrapunctatum</p><p>WERNER 1895; ( Leiolopisma: Boulenger): SMITH 1937; McCANN 1955</p><p>Leiolopisma infrapunctata</p><p>(Boulenger): MITTLEMAN 1952</p><p>Leiolopisma infrapunctatum</p><p>(Boulenger): McCANN 1955; (Boulenger): McCANN 1956; (Boulenger): SHARELL 1966; (Boulenger): WHITAKER 1968; (Boulenger): MEADS 1970; (Boulenger): SOPER 1970; (Boulenger): WHITAKER 1970; (Boulenger): TOWNS 1971; (Boulenger): SCHIPPER 1972; (Boulenger): TOWNS &amp; HAYWARD 1973; (Boulenger): ANDREWS 1974; (Boulenger): GREER 1974; (Boulenger): ROBB 1974; (Boulenger): BULL &amp; WHITAKER 1975; (Boulenger): GUNDY &amp; WURST 1976; (Boulenger): WHITAKER 1976; (Boulenger): HARDY 1977; (Boulenger): ROBB 1980 &amp; 1986; (Boulenger): SCHMIDT 1980; (Boulenger): ALLISON 1982; (Boulenger): AINSWORTH 1985; (Boulenger): ALLISON &amp; BLAIR 1987; (Boulenger): GOFF et al. 1987; (Boulenger): WORTHY 1991; (Boulenger): EAST et al. 1995; (Boulenger): MARKWELL 1995; (Boulenger): EFFORD et al. 1997.</p><p>Oligosoma newmani</p><p>WELLS &amp; WELLINGTON 1985</p><p>Oligosoma infrapunctatum</p><p>DUNCAN 1999; EFFORD et al. 2001; HEAP et al. 2003; STEPHENS 2004; GREAVES et al. 2008; CHAPPLE et al 2009; JEWELL &amp; MORRIS 2008 &amp; 2011; TOWNS et al. 2002; BELL 2014; DUMONT 2015; MOCKETT et al. 2016; NELSON et al. 2016; VAN WINKEL et al. 2018.</p><p>Holotype. <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=174.0&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-40.666668" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 174.0/lat -40.666668)">Stephens Island</a> (Takapourewa) (40º 40’S, 174º 00’E), NMNZ RE004481 (coll. G. Woodward, Jan 1963).</p><p>Paratypes (7 specimens). <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=174.0&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-40.666668" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 174.0/lat -40.666668)">Stephens Island</a> (<a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=174.0&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-40.666668" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 174.0/lat -40.666668)">Takapourewa</a>) (40º 40’S, 174º 00’E), NMNZ RE005407, female (coll. B. Bell, 28 Jan 1984) ; <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=174.0&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-40.666668" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 174.0/lat -40.666668)">Stephens Island</a> (Takapourewa) (40º 40’S, 174º 00’E), 3 specimens (NMNZ RE003697 [S481], male; NMNZ RE003697 [S52], female; NMNZ RE003697 [S612], female) (coll. B. Parker, 04 Oct 1963) ; <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=174.0&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-40.666668" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 174.0/lat -40.666668)">Stephens Island</a> (Takapourewa) (40º 40’S, 174º 00’E), NMNZ RE001066 [S148], male) (coll. R. Tillyard, Jan 1921) ; Mt Bruce (originally Stephens Island (Takapourewa)) (40º 40’S, 174º 00’E), NMNZ RE005242, female) (coll. Unknown, unknown date); Stephens Island (Takapourewa) (40º 40’S, 174º 00’E), NMNZ RE001693 [2/2/4.1], male) (coll. G. Walls, unknown date)</p><p>.</p><p>Other specimens examined (43 specimens). St Arnaud (41º 49’S, 172º 51’E), NMNZ RE005410 (organs removed) (coll. R. Hitchmough, 31 Mar 1991); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.0&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-42.716667" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.0/lat -42.716667)">Hokitika</a> (42º 43’S, 171º 00’E), NMNZ RE005440, male (coll. Laing May 1996) ; <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.0&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-42.716667" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.0/lat -42.716667)">Hokitika</a> (42º 43’S, 171º 00’E), NMNZ RE005416, female (coll. J. Lyall, 01 Jan 1996) ; <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.2&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-42.433334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.2/lat -42.433334)">Cobden</a> (42º 26’S, 171º 12’E), 2 specimens : NMNZ RE006087, male; NMNZ RE006088 (organs removed) (coll. J. Lyall, 10 Sep 1995); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.0&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-40.716667" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.0/lat -40.716667)">Hokitika Cemetery</a> (40º 43’S, 171º 00’E), 3 specimens : NMNZ RE005334, female; NMNZ RE005335, male; NMNZ RE005336, female (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 30 Oct 1997); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.81667&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-41.666668" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.81667/lat -41.666668)">Birchfield Beach</a> (41º 40’S, 171º 49’E), 2 specimens : NMNZ RE005352, male; NMNZ RE005355, male (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 06 Oct 1997); Karamea, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=172.13333&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-41.233334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 172.13333/lat -41.233334)">Oparara Road</a> (41º 14’S, 172º 08’E), 3 specimens : NMNZ RE005361, female; NMNZ RE005362, male; NMNZ RE005363, male (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 12 Jan 1998); Costello Hill, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.48334&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-41.883335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.48334/lat -41.883335)">Pakihi Charleston</a> (41º 53’S, 171º 29’E), NMNZ RE005389, female (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 05 Mar 1998) ; Kaniere Rd, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.0&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-42.733334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.0/lat -42.733334)">Hokitika</a> (42º 44’S, 171º 00’E), 5 specimens : NMNZ RE005393, male; NMNZ RE005394, female NMNZ RE005395, female; NMNZ RE005396, female; NMNZ RE005397, female (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 31 Mar 1998); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.61667&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-41.75" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.61667/lat -41.75)">Orowaiti Lagoon</a> (41º 45’S, 171º 37’E), 3 specimens : NMNZ RE005503, female; NMNZ RE005504, male; NMNZ RE005505, male (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 08 Apr 1998); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=172.73334&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-41.766666" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 172.73334/lat -41.766666)">St Arnaud</a> (41º 46’S, 172º 44’E), 5 specimens : NMNZ RE003891 [S249], male; NMNZ RE003892 [S250], female; NMNZ RE003895 [S253], female; NMNZ RE003899 [S257], male; NMNZ RE003893 [S251], male (coll. B. Thomas, 02 Apr 1968); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.45&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-42.1" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.45/lat -42.1)">Paparoa</a> (42º 06’S, 171º 27’E) , NMNZ RE005258, male (coll. Unknown, unknown date); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.8&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-41.733334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.8/lat -41.733334)">Denniston</a> (41º 44’S, 171º 48’E) , NMNZ RE006210, female (coll. Unknown, 09 Oct 2001); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.2&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-42.433334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.2/lat -42.433334)">Cobden</a> (42º 26’S, 171º 12’E), 9 specimens : NMNZ RE005340, female; NMNZ RE005342, female; NMNZ RE005343, female; NMNZ RE005344, male; NMNZ RE005346, female; NMNZ RE005347, male; NMNZ RE005348, male; NMNZ RE005349, female; NMNZ RE005351, female (coll. R. van Mierlo, L. Adams, 19 Oct 1997); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=171.85&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-41.633335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 171.85/lat -41.633335)">Granity</a>, West Coast (41º 38’S, 171º 51’E), 5 specimens : NMNZ RE007401, male; NMNZ RE007402, female; NMNZ RE007403, male; NMNZ RE007404, male; NMNZ RE007405, female (coll. T. Bell, January 2015) .</p><p>Diagnosis. O. newmani can be distinguished from other species in the O. infrapunctatum species-complex by a combination of characters (Figure 4 a–j). There are statistical differences between O. newmani and O. salmo sp. nov. (S-Ear/EF, VS, upper ciliaries). Compared with O. salmo sp. nov. MS is usually 33 or below whereas O. salmo is mostly 33 or above. There are statistical differences from O. robinsoni (AG/SF). Compared with O. robinsoni subdigital lamellae are usually 20 or below whereas usually 20 or above in O. robinsoni . O. newmani has a shorter tail relative to SVL than O. robinsoni . Compared with O. albornense sp. nov. nuchal pairs are usually 3 or below versus 3 or above ( O. albornense); usually 69 or more VS ( O. newmani) versus 69 or fewer VS ( O. albornense sp. nov.). HL/HW is always 1.7 or below in O. albornense sp. nov. whereas it is usually 1.7 or above in O. newmani . O. auroraensis sp. nov. usually has more than 20 subdigital lamellae on fourth hind toe versus 20 or fewer for O. newmani . The mean TL/SVL in O. auroraensis sp. nov. is 1.38 compared with 1.22. There is also a significantly higher VS count in O. auroraensis sp. nov. compared with O. newmani .</p><p>Description of Holotype. Habit lacertiform, body elongate, oval in cross-section; limbs well developed, pentadactyl. Lower eyelid with a transparent palpebral disc, bordered on sides and below by small, oblong granules. Snout moderately blunt. Nostril centred in lower middle of nasal, not touching bottom edge of nasal, pointing up and back. Supranasals absent. Rostral broader than deep. Frontonasal broader than long, not separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Frontal longer than broad, shorter than frontoparietal and interparietal together, in contact with 2 anteriormost supraoculars. Supraoculars 4, 2 nd largest. Preoculars, 2, lower one larger. Frontoparietals distinct, larger than the interparietal. A pair of parietals meeting behind interparietal and bordered posteriorly by a pair of nuchals and temporals, also in contact with interparietal, frontoparietal, 4 th supraocular, and 2 postoculars. Loreals 2, similar size; anterior loreal in contact with 1 st and 2 nd supralabial, posterior loreal, prefrontal, frontonasal, and nasal; posterior loreal in contact with 2 nd and 3 rd supralabial, 1 st subocular, upper and lower preocular, prefrontal, and anterior loreal. Supralabials 7, 6 th largest. Infralabials 6, several equally largest. Fifth supralabial below centre of the eye. Temporals: 1 primary; 2 secondary. Ear opening round, moderately large (1.7% as percentage of SVL), with several small projecting granules on anterior margin. Suboculars 8, 3 rd and 4 th separated by 5 th supralabial. Mental broader but shallower than rostral. Postmental larger than mental. Chinshields 3 pairs. Dorsal scales similar in size to ventral scales, weakly striate. Ventral scales and subdigital lamellae smooth. Adpressed limbs meeting. Digits moderately long, subcylindrical. Third front digit similar in length to 4 th.</p><p>Measurements (in mm; holotype with the variation shown in the specimens examined in parentheses). SVL 100.3 (mean 71.4, range 47.9–101.1), HL 14.1 (mean 10.9, range 6.0–18.0), HW 9.3 (mean 6.4, range 4.5– 10.3), AG 50.9 (mean 37.6, range 24.4–53.5), SF 33.2 (mean 27.1, range 18.4–42.9), S-Ear 19.0 (mean 13.8, range 9.8–23.5), EF 12.6 (mean 14.1, range 9.3–21.1), HLL 33.7 (mean 22.9, range 14.4–36.5); D-Ear 1.7 (mean 1.5, range 0.7–3.4).</p><p>Variation (holotype with the variation shown in the paratypes /specimens examined in parentheses). Upper ciliaries 7 (mean 6, range 4–9); lower ciliaries 12 (mean 10, range 7–13); nuchals 3 pair (mean 3 pairs, range 1–6 pairs); midbody scale rows 34 (mean 32, range 29–36); ventral scale rows 87 (mean 71, range 62–87); subdigital lamellae 25 (mean 20, range 15–27); supraciliaries 5 (mean 5, range 4–6); suboculars 8 (mean 6, range 4–8). Frontonasal not usually separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Anterior loreal usually in contact with first and second supralabial, posterior loreal usually in contact with second and third supralabial. Supralabials 7 (usual), 8 or 9, the sixth or seventh the largest. Infralabials 5, 6 (usual), or 7. Projecting scales usually present in ear opening. Maximum SVL 101.1 mm. Only 7 of the specimens examined had an intact tail, tail length of intact specimens ranging between 81–124 mm. Mean TL/ SVL = 1.22. Ratios for morphological measurements (+ SD): AG/SF 1.39 + 0.11; S-Ear/EF 0.98 + 0.11; HL/HW 1.70 + 0.11 (N=51).</p><p>Colouration. This is very variable among specimens, but the most common colouration is as follows: Middorsal stripe where present not usually continuous. Dorsal surface mid to dark brown, usually with light and dark flecking, 6 scale rows wide, grading into pale dorsolateral stripe extending from behind head to base of tail, becoming indistinct thereafter. This pale stripe extends into brown lateral stripe two or more scale rows wide, notched on upper and lower edges, running from behind nostril through eye towards tip of tail. This brown band is bordered on each edge by a dark brown band 1 to 2 half-scale rows wide running above the limbs and becoming indistinct after hindlimb. The lower dark brown band is bordered below by a pale stripe, 1 to 2 half-scale rows wide running from behind or below the eye, above or through the ear, above the limbs to become indistinct after the hindlimbs. This band is bounded below by a darker band breaking up into a ventral pale colour. Soles of feet grey/black. Belly yellow, cream, or pinkish orange, usually speckled with darker flecks. Throat grey. Outer surface of forelimbs bro- wn, speckled with light and dark. Speckling often present on throat and underside of tail. There do not appear to be sexually dimorphic colour patterns. Regarding juvenile colouration, on Stephens Island McCann (1955) noted “in young specimens there is a reddish or coppery flush behind the head as far as the insertion of the forelimbs and occasionally a line of dark dots extending from behind the head to the base of the tail”. A distinctive looking O. newmani (represented by a single individual) was recorded from the Paparoa Ranges (Miller 1999, Whitaker &amp; Lyall 2004). This specimen has three thin notched longitudinal stripes dorsally, with prominent dorso-lateral whitish stripe bordered by thin black stripes (Jewell &amp; Morris 2008).</p><p>Etymology. Named for Donald G. Newman of New Zealand, in recognition of his contributions to herpetology (Wells &amp; Wellington 1985). The current accepted vernacular name is ‘speckled skink’ which we suggest changing to ‘Newman’s speckled skink’.</p><p>Distribution. South Island only, on Stephens Island (Takapourewa), the West Coast and Nelson Lakes across a range of ecological districts (39.03 Sounds, 46.08 Karamea, 48.01 Ngakawau, 48.02 Foulwind, 48.06 Maimai, 48.10 Greymouth, 49.01 Rotoroa and 50.01 Hokitikia Ecological Districts). This species is present in a very wide range of warm-to-cool and low-to-very high rainfall environments from the coast to mountains (up to 1400 m ASL), occupying various habitats from coastal scrub/forest on islands, cobble and boulder beaches, dune vegetation and pakihi wetlands on coastal flats, densely vegetated or shrubland habitats, open grasslands, fernland, and cool temperature tussock-scrub-low forest mosaic forest on the rocky plateaux in alpine regions; includes glacial river terraces in cool inland beech country.</p><p>Natural History. Diurnal, strongly heliothermic, terrestrial. This is a species that can be highly variable in size and colour; it is largest on Stephens Island (Takapourewa) (SVL range: 31–115 mm; weight range: 1.5–35.5 g, Stephens 2004), but smaller elsewhere on the mainland (86 mm SVL, 10 g). A study on spatial distribution, abundance and relative densities of O. newmani and congeners in various habitat types on Stephens Island (Takapourewa) were undertaken by East et al. (1995) and Markwell (1995), and followed up by Stephens (2004), with a focus on the effects of plant succession and ecological restoration of that island on the lizard fauna. This species was found in nearly all habitat types, but unlike other species in the complex, it is also abundant in replanted and natural mature open forest (Whitaker 1970 b, East et al. 1995, Stephens 2004), preferring shady, damp dense vegetation (Efford et al. 1997); it is also increasing in capture rates on the island which may be influenced by increasing habitat availability (Stephens 2004). In 2002–2003, O. newmani consisted 5–6% of all skink captures on Stephens Island (Takapourewa). On that island, tuatara ( Sphenodon punctatus) are a natural predator (Sharell 1966), and East et al. (1995) noted tunnelling behaviour in soft soil and leaf litter near seabird burrows which may contain resident tuatara, such fossorial behaviour is likely to help avoid predation. Surprisingly, Sharell (1966) also recorded O. newmani using seabird (fairy prions, Pachyptila turtur) and tuatara burrows, despite the risk of predation by tuatara. Tail loss rates is high on the island (86–97%), potentially attributable to tuatara and avian predators, however aggression from the northern spotted skink ( O. kokowai) may also be a cause (Stephens 2004). This species appears to be displaced by the similarly-sized O. kokowai in sympatric habitats on Stephens Island (Takapourewa) and at the Upper Buller Valley, St Arnaud, and this is assumed to be due to ineffective niche partitioning and strong competition (East et al. 1995, Stephens 2004, Efford et al. 1997,1998). Duncan (1999) investigated activity, behaviour and trappability of the same two skink species at St Arnaud and found significant ecological differences and variation in behaviour in the two. Miller &amp; Daugherty (2001) recognised genetic diversity in West Coast populations of O. infrapunctatum . Translocated from Stephens Island (Takapourewa) to Mana Island and Maud Island (n =40 to each island, both during 2004) (Sherley et al. 2010). Prior to release on Mana Island, a cage trial was undertaken by Heap et al. (2003) to study potential sympatric interactions between O. newmani and the island-resident McGregor’s skink ( O. macgregori). Since release, it appears that this translocation has failed, as few have been seen since, however it was later realised that this species was not ecologically appropriate for Mana Island, as this was outside the species’ known distributional range. Efford et al. (1997, 2001), Duncan (1999) and Dumont (2015) studied sympatric populations of O. newmani, O. polychroma and O. kokowai at St Arnaud. Efford et al. (2001) found density to be stable between 1994–2000, with high survival rates (~0.89 – 0.98 / 6 mo), however Dumont (2015) and Nelson et al. (2016) later demonstrated serious decline in the same population by 2012. Capture rates dropped from 0.116 skinks / trap night in 1995 to 0.001 by 2010–2012, and very few young skinks were found present in this population despite the female-dominated sex ratio, indicating that population recruitment is now very low (Dumont 2015). Dumont (2015) also estimated size at sexual maturity, birthing season and habitat preferences at St. Arnaud: the mean is 72 mm SVL (range 35–98 mm), females are slightly smaller than males; sexual maturity is estimated to be&gt; 55 mm SVL; pregnant skinks were caught between November to January; sex ratio is 1 ♀: 0.3 ♂: 0.1 juvenile; the skinks were more trappable during January than in November, but recapture rates are low at 9.2%; larger, older skinks may be more trappable; and skinks were more often trapped in rocky shrubland habitats. Meads (1970) indicates that mating occurs from late September to November, gestation is 12–14 weeks, and the young (3–4) are born between January and March (all the species described here are viviparous); such information is probably derived from captive O. newmani populations from Takapourewa /Stephens Island. The species is a dietary generalist, diet including shade-dwelling insects such as tiger beetles ( Neocicindela sp.) and fruit at St Arnaud (Efford et al. 1997, Efford et al. 1998), but it is also known to devour its own young and other lizards on Stephens Island (Takapourewa) (Sharell 1966). The acari mite Neotrombicula sphenodonti (Ainsworth 1985, Goff et al. 1987), the nematodes Capillaria sp. (Allison 1982), Hedruris minuta (Andrews 1974), Parathelandros sp. (Allison 1982, Ainsworth 1985) and Skrjabinodon trimorphi (Ainsworth 1992, see Mockett et al. 2016); the trematode Dolichosaccus (Lecithopyge) leiolopismae (with heavy infestations of&gt;200 flukes/host, Ainsworth 1985; Allison &amp; Blair 1987) and the protozoan Haemogregarina sp. (Schmidt 1980) have been recorded on O. infrapunctatum from Stephens Island (Takapourewa).</p><p>Discussion. Until recently descriptions of O. newmani emphasized the relatively large, heavy-bodied skink found at the type locality of Stephens Island (Takapourewa). For example, Hardy (1977) described 32 out of 53 specimens of what is now newmani solely from this one locality. Unfortunately, it appears that this island form differs significantly from mainland (i.e. South Island) populations. In our paper we have tried to redress this imbalance by describing 8 out of 51 specimens from Stephens Island (Takapourewa). The differences between mainland and Stephens Island (Takapourewa) populations are obvious from the measurements in our paper. For example, maximum SVL for mainland animals is 87.7 mm compared with 101.3 for Stephens Island (Takapourewa). Ventral scales—maximum 87 Stephens Island (Takapourewa), compared with 81 for mainland populations; lamellae—max 25 Stephens Island (Takapourewa) compared with 22 mainland; higher mean midbody scale count for Stephens Island (Takapourewa) animals, etc. There is some argument that this population should be classed a subspecies on morphology alone, but this is outside the scope of this paper.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0390B574CB0C2B3AFF2EE5E7FC88FBFF	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Melzer, Sabine;Hitchmough, Rod A.;Bell, Trent;Chapple, David G.;Patterson, Geoff B.	Melzer, Sabine, Hitchmough, Rod A., Bell, Trent, Chapple, David G., Patterson, Geoff B. (2019): Lost and Found: Taxonomic revision of the speckled skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum; Reptilia; Scincidae) species complex from New Zealand reveals a potential cryptic extinction, resurrection of two species, and description of three new species. Zootaxa 4623 (3): 441-484, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4623.3.2
0390B574CB082B37FF2EE11BFE85F9BF.text	0390B574CB082B37FF2EE11BFE85F9BF.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Oligosoma robinsoni (Wells & Wellington 1985) Wells & Wellington 1985	<div><p>Oligosoma robinsoni (Wells &amp; Wellington 1985)</p><p>Figures 6a, b</p><p>Synonyms</p><p>Leiolopisma infrapunctatum</p><p>(Boulenger): HARDY 1977; OWEN 1997</p><p>Oligosoma robinsoni</p><p>WELLS &amp; WELLINGTON 1985; JEWELL &amp; MORRIS 2011</p><p>Oligosoma infrapunctatum</p><p>GREAVES et al. 2008; CHAPPLE et al. 2009; PERROTT et al. 2011; SCHRAGEN et al. 2011; SCHRAGEN &amp; PER- ROTT 2011; TOWNS et al. 2002</p><p>Oligosoma aff. infrapunctatum “crenulate”</p><p>HITCHMOUGH, R., BULL, L. &amp; CROMARTY, P. 2007; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2010; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2013; BELL 2014; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2016a; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2016b; VAN WINKEL et al. 2018.</p><p>Leiolopisma “Ngahinapouri”</p><p>DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION BIOWEB HERPETOFAUNA DATABASE (1968) [Amphibian &amp; Reptile Distribution Scheme card number 867, observation record number 483057]</p><p>Holotype. <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=176.96666&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-37.866665" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 176.96666/lat -37.866665)">Moutohorā</a> (Whale Island) (37º 52’S, 176º 58’E), RE004443 (S801) (coll. M. Imber, 01 Sep 1970).</p><p>Paratypes (13 specimens). <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=176.96666&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-37.866665" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 176.96666/lat -37.866665)">Moutohorā</a> (Whale Island) (37º 52’S, 176º 58’E), 2 specimens: NMNZ RE004120 (S442), male ; NMNZ RE004120 (S477), male (coll. L. Moran, 04 Sep 1969); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=176.96666&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-37.866665" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 176.96666/lat -37.866665)">Moutohorā</a> (Whale Island) (37º 52’S, 176º 58’E), 2 specimens: NMNZ RE005412, female ; NMNZ RE005413, female (coll. K. Owen, 03 Apr 1992); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=175.66667&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-38.85" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 175.66667/lat -38.85)">Western Taupo</a> (38º 51’S, 175º 40’E), NMNZ RE000824, male (coll. R. Dell, 03 Nov 1953) ; N of <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=175.66667&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-38.616665" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 175.66667/lat -38.616665)">Tihoi</a>, western Taupo (- 38º 37’S, 175º 40’E), 2 specimens: NMNZ RE000820, female ; NMNZ RE000822, immature (coll. R. Dell, P. Bull, 06 Nov 1953); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=175.21666&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-38.083332" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 175.21666/lat -38.083332)">Ngongataha</a>, Rotorua (38º 05’S, 175º 13’E), NMNZ RE005404, female (coll. Unknown, 20 Mar 1987) ; <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=175.21666&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-38.083332" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 175.21666/lat -38.083332)">Taumaranui</a>, NI (38º 05’S, 175º 13’E), 2 specimens: NMNZ RE005405 (organs removed) ; NMNZ RE005406 (organs removed) (coll. Unknown, unknown date); <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=175.33333&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-38.166668" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 175.33333/lat -38.166668)">Miller Road</a>, Lake Okereka, Rotorua (38º 10’S, 175º 20’E), NMNZ RE005247, male (coll. K. Owen, 1997) ; <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=175.18333&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-37.9" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 175.18333/lat -37.9)">Hamilton</a> (37º 54’S, 175º 11’E), NMNZ RE003881, male (coll. B. Thomas, 02 Apr 1968) ; <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=175.86667&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-38.2" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 175.86667/lat -38.2)">Tokoroa</a> ((38º 12’S, 175º 52’E), NMNZ RE008540, unknown (coll. G. Sutherland, 19 Feb 2011).</p><p>Diagnosis. O. robinsoni can be distinguished from other species in the O. infrapunctatum species complex by a combination of characters (Figure 4 a–j). In O. salmo sp. nov. subdigital lamellae usually &lt;20 versus usually 20 or above in O. robinsoni . The VS count is 69 or below in O. salmo sp. nov. versus usually 69 or greater; supraciliaries 5 only ( O. salmo sp. nov.) versus usually&gt;5; ventral speckling much more pronounced in O. robinsoni than O. salmo sp. nov. There are statistical differences between O. newmani and O. robinsoni (AG/SF). Subdigital lamellae are usually 20 or below in O. newmani versus 20 or above in O. robinsoni . O. robinsoni has a longer tail relative to SVL compared with O. newmani . O. robinsoni differs from O. albornense sp. nov. in having a VS count usually 69 or greater versus 69 or below ( O. albornense sp. nov.); upper ciliaries 6 or less ( O. albornense sp. nov.) versus usually 6 or more; ventral speckling much more pronounced in O. robinsoni than O. albornense sp. nov. It differs from O. auroraensis sp. nov. i n having subdigital lamellae usually 21 or above ( O. auroraensis sp. nov.) versus usually 21 or below; VS usually 75 or less in O. robinsoni versus usually 75 or greater in O. auroraensis sp. nov.; mid-dorsal stripe to base of tail in O. robinsoni, past base of tail in O. auroraensis sp. nov.</p><p>Description of Holotype. Habit lacertiform, body elongate, oval in cross-section; limbs well developed, pentadactyl. Lower eyelid with a transparent palpebral disc, bordered on sides and below by small, oblong granules. Snout moderately blunt. Nostril centred in lower middle of nasal, not touching bottom edge of nasal, pointing up and back. Supranasals absent. Rostral broader than deep. Frontonasal broader than long, not separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Frontal longer than broad, shorter than frontoparietal and interparietal together, in contact with 2 anteriormost supraoculars. Supraoculars 4, 2 nd largest. Preoculars, 2, upper one larger. Frontoparietals distinct, larger than the interparietal. A pair of parietals meeting behind interparietal and bordered posteriorly by a pair of nuchals and temporals, also in contact with interparietal, frontoparietal, 4 th supraocular, and 2 postoculars. Loreals 2, anterior one the larger; anterior loreal in contact with 1 st and 2 nd supralabial, posterior loreal, prefrontal, frontonasal, and nasal; posterior loreal in contact with 2 nd and 3 rd supralabial, 1 st subocular, upper and lower preocular, prefrontal, and anterior loreal. Supralabials 7, 6 th largest. Infralabials 6, several equally largest. Fifth supralabial below centre of the eye. Temporals: 1 primary; 2 secondary. Ear opening round, moderately large (1.6% as percentage of SVL), with several small projecting granules on anterior margin. Suboculars 8, 4 th and 5 th separated by 5 th supralabial. Mental broader but shallower than rostral. Postmental larger than mental. Chinshields 3 pairs. Dorsal scales largest, weakly striate. Ventral scales and subdigital lamellae smooth. Adpressed limbs barely meeting. Digits moderately long, subcylindrical. Third front digit shorter than the 4 th.</p><p>Measurements (in mm; holotype with the variation shown in the specimens examined in parentheses). SVL 70.1 (mean 62.2, range 40.0–84.3), HL 11.1 (mean 9.8, range 7.3–12.1), HW 7.0 (mean 5.9, range 4.2–8.3), AG 36.5 (mean 32.4, range 19.3–45.1), SF 28.5 (mean 24.5, range 16.5–30.4), S-Ear 14.3 (mean 12.3, range 8.5– 15.2), EF 14.7 (mean 12.8, range 8.3–16.4), HLL 26.5 (mean 20.6, range 12.3–26.5), D-Ear 1.1 (mean 1.2, range 0.9–1.6).</p><p>Variation (holotype with the variation shown in the paratypes /specimens examined in parentheses). Upper ciliaries 5 (mean 7, range 5–8); lower ciliaries 8 (mean 9, range 7–12); nuchals 4 pair (mean 3 pairs, range 1–4 pairs); midbody scale rows 30 (mean 32, range 30–35); ventral scale rows 78 (mean 73, range 64–84); subdigital lamellae 20 (mean 20, range 17–23); supraciliaries 6 (mean 6, range 5–7); suboculars 6 (mean 6, range 6–8). Frontonasal usually not separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Anterior loreal usually in contact with first and second supralabial, posterior loreal usually in contact with second and third supralabial. Supralabials 7 (usual), or 8, the sixth or seventh the largest. Infralabials 5, 6 (usual), or 7. Projecting scales usually present in ear opening. Maximum SVL 84.3 mm. Only 2 of the specimens examined had an intact tail, tail length of intact specimens ranging between 55–92 mm. Mean TL/ SVL = 1.34. Ratios for morphological measurements (+ SD): AG/SF 1.32 + 0.12; S-Ear/EF 0.99 + 0.08; HL/HW 1.72 + 0.11 (N=14).</p><p>Colouration. This is variable among specimens, but the most common colouration is as follows: Mid-dorsal stripe either broken or continuous. If continuous, only to base of tail. Dorsal surface mid to dark brown, usually with light and dark flecking, 6 scale rows wide, grading into pale dorsolateral stripe extending from behind head to base of tail, becoming indistinct thereafter. This pale stripe is bordered below by a ½ scale row wide dark brown band, below that a 1–2 scale wide lighter brown row, notched on upper and lower edges, running from behind nostril through eye towards base of tail becoming indistinct thereafter. This band sometimes has paler speckles in it. Then a darker brown band 1–2 half-scales wide. This lower dark brown band is bordered below by a pale stripe, 1 to 2 half-scale rows wide running from below the eye, through the ear, above the limbs to become indistinct after the hindlimbs. This band is broken above forelimbs and bounded below by a very broken light brown band breaking up into a ventral speckling. Soles of feet grey/black. Belly yellow or cream, usually speckled with darker flecks. Throat pale. Outer surface of forelimbs brown, speckled with light and dark.</p><p>Etymology. Named for Professor E.S. Robinson of the School of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney in recognition of his herpetological research (Wells &amp; Wellington 1985). The history of common and tag names for this species is complex. A.H. Whitaker and Bruce Thomas in the 1960s and 1970s used the tag name Leiolopisma “Ngahinapouri”, but also included specimens from the Wairarapa under this tag name. Jewell &amp; Morris (2008) coined the name “crenulate skink” for the larger of the two entities found in sympatry at Granity. This population, now known to be part of the widespread O. newmani, was then thought in error to represent Clade 2a of Greaves et al. (2008). The common name “crenulate skink” then expanded in use to include all populations of Clade 2a plus 2b. More recently South Island members (Clade 2a) have been known by the names “cobble skink” and “Hokitika skink”. Crenulate skink has continued in use for the North Island populations described here as O. robinsoni .</p><p>Distribution. The species is recorded in several locations and ecological districts across central North Island, from the King Country, Waikato, Taupo, Rotorua and Bay of Plenty (11.04 Hamilton, 13.04 Rotorua, 13.05 White Island, 15.03 Tokoroa, 16.02 Taupo and 23.02 Taumarunui Ecological Districts). This distribution is approximately north of what is termed as the ‘Taupo Line biogeographic barrier’ (Chapple &amp; Hitchmough 2016). Environments include warm mild and cool, humid lowlands / swampland / rolling hill country up to 630 m ASL, that is—or wasoriginally scrubland / fernland or forested, including coastal or lake islands in a central North Island region with a very frequent and recent volcanic history. These skinks are found in dense grassland, scrub, shrublands, fernland and forest edge habitats; the species can also be found on the coast on boulder beaches, and beneath rocks and logs in grasses above high tide mark (van Winkel et al. 2018).</p><p>Natural History. Diurnal, heliothermic, terrestrial. A medium-to-large coastal and lowland species (up to 90 mm SVL, c. 8.2 g), animals heavy-bodied with broad heads and robust limbs in the Central North Island, and island animals smaller and more slender (van Winkel et al. 2018). This species is found in scattered populations in the central North Island; not all have had genetic analyses undertaken. Two populations are known from islands free of predatory mammals, Moturoa / Whale Island in the Bay of Plenty and Mokoia Island in Lake Rotorua. The Mokoia Island population was discovered only after removal of Norway rats ( Rattus norvegicus), although weka ( Gallirallus australis), an efficient native predator of lizards, were introduced to the island in the 1950s and are still present (Owen 1997, Towns et al. 2002). Subsequently, Perrott et al. (2011), Schragen et al. 2011 and Schragen &amp; Perrott 2011 studied this population, investigating population, genetics, individual health and bait preferences. Similarly, another population of what is assumed to be O. robinsoni was discovered in the Pureora Forest, Waikato, after the commencement of extensive predatory mammal control (Towns et al. 2002). These skinks appear to be social, avid but cryptic sunbaskers; animals are noticeably gravid in November with births between December–March, 6–9 young (DOC BioWeb Herpetofauna database observation record number 487553, van Winkel et al. 2018). Findings from recent scientific research on O. robinsoni on Mokoia Island include: SVL range was 45 mm – 88 mm, weight range is 1 g– 15 g; females were noticeably pregnant in November–December, with the smallest pregnant female at 61 mm SVL; the birthing period is likely between December and March; caudal autotomy rates were high (increasing from 23% to 100% across four progressive size classes); the parasitic mite Neotrombicula sphenodonti is present on these skinks, with parasitism possibly seasonal (December), as 44.8% of trapped skinks were parasitized during that month, but not other months; the population had low genetic variation, suggestive of a small founder population; and bracken fern ( Pteridium esculentum) is a major habitat for these skinks, possibly as a refugia from predation pressure by weka (Perrott et al. 2011, Schragen et al. 2011, Schragen &amp; Perrott 2011, J. Perrott &amp; S. Darke, unpub. data).</p><p>Discussion. The larger-bodied Granity population included in this species by Jewell &amp; Morris (2011) belongs to Clade 1 (Figure 2), so is not conspecific with the North Island “crenulate skink” populations which we here identify as O. robinsoni . Greaves’ (2008) Clade 2a specimens from Granity appear to correspond to the smaller-bodied taxon that Jewell &amp; Morris (2008, 2011) called the “cobble skink”. However, this population contains multiple mitochondrial lineages and requires further taxonomic research. The other population contained in Clade 2a of Greaves et al. (2008) was from Hokitika, and was substantially divergent from the Granity population, and the sampled animals are much larger.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0390B574CB082B37FF2EE11BFE85F9BF	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Melzer, Sabine;Hitchmough, Rod A.;Bell, Trent;Chapple, David G.;Patterson, Geoff B.	Melzer, Sabine, Hitchmough, Rod A., Bell, Trent, Chapple, David G., Patterson, Geoff B. (2019): Lost and Found: Taxonomic revision of the speckled skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum; Reptilia; Scincidae) species complex from New Zealand reveals a potential cryptic extinction, resurrection of two species, and description of three new species. Zootaxa 4623 (3): 441-484, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4623.3.2
0390B574CB052B33FF2EE3DBFC3FFEAF.text	0390B574CB052B33FF2EE3DBFC3FFEAF.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Oligosoma salmo Melzer & Hitchmough & Bell & Chapple & Patterson 2019	<div><p>Oligosoma salmo sp. nov.</p><p>Figures 7a, b</p><p>Synonyms</p><p>Leiolopisma “ West Coast skink”</p><p>AVISS &amp; LYALL 1995</p><p>Oligosoma infrapunctatum</p><p>GREAVES et al. 2008; CHAPPLE et al 2009</p><p>Oligosoma aff. infrapunctatum ‘Chesterfield’</p><p>HITCHMOUGH, R., BULL, L. &amp; CROMARTY, P. 2007; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2010; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2013; BELL 2014; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2016a; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2016b; VAN WINKEL et al. 2018.</p><p>Holotype. Chesterfield (42º 37’S, 171º 05’E), NMNZ RE005444, male (coll. G. Patterson, 23 Mar 1994).</p><p>Paratypes (4 specimens). Chesterfield (42º 37’S, 171º 05’E), 2 specimens: NMNZ RE005445, male; NMNZ RE005446, male (coll. G. Patterson, 23 Mar 1994); Chesterfield (42º 37’S, 171º 05’E), 2 specimens: NMNZ RE005364, male; NMNZ RE005365, female (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 09 Jan 1998)</p><p>.</p><p>Diagnosis. O. salmo can be distinguished from other species in the O. infrapunctatum species complex by a combination of characters (Figure 4 a–j). There are statistical differences between O. newmani and O. salmo (S-Ear/ EF, VS, upper ciliaries). Compared with O. newmani MS is usually 33 or below whereas O. salmo is 33 or above. In O. robinsoni SVL/HW is usually 11 or below, whereas in O. salmo it is 11 or above. There are statistical differences between O. robinsoni and O. salmo (VS, subdigital lamellae). The VS count is 69 or below in O. salmo versus usually 69 or greater in O. robinsoni; supraciliaries 5 only ( O. salmo) versus usually&gt; 5 in O. robinsoni; ventral speckling much more pronounced in O. robinsoni than O. salmo . There are statistical differences between O. salmo and O. albornense sp. nov. (upper ciliaries, HL/HW, S-Ear/EF, VS). O. salmo has 5 supraciliaries only, versus 6 or more in O. albornense sp. nov. O. salmo has 3 or fewer nuchal scale pairs, while O. albornense sp. nov. has 3 or more nuchal scale pairs. There are statistical differences between O. salmo and O. auroraensis sp. nov. (VS). It differs from O. auroraensis sp. nov. i n having subdigital lamellae usually 21 or above ( O. auroraensis sp. nov.) versus usually 20 or below. It appears to have a shorter tail (1.25 TL/SVL versus mean TL/SVL of 1.38 in O. auroraensis sp. nov.).</p><p>Description of Holotype. Habit lacertiform, body elongate, oval in cross-section; limbs well developed, pentadactyl. Lower eyelid with a transparent palpebral disc, bordered on sides and below by small, oblong granules. Snout moderately blunt. Nostril centred in lower middle of nasal, not touching bottom edge of nasal, pointing up and back. Supranasals absent. Rostral broader than deep. Frontonasal broader than long, not separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Frontal longer than broad, shorter than frontoparietal and interparietal together, in contact with 2 anteriormost supraoculars. Supraoculars 4, 2 nd largest. Preoculars, 2, upper one larger. Frontoparietals distinct, larger than the interparietal. A pair of parietals meeting behind interparietal and bordered posteriorly by a pair of nuchals and temporals, also in contact with interparietal, frontoparietal, 4 th supraocular, and 2 postoculars. Loreals 2, anterior one the larger; anterior loreal in contact with 1 st and 2 nd supralabial, posterior loreal, prefrontal, frontonasal, and nasal; posterior loreal in contact with 2 nd and 3 rd supralabial, 1 st subocular, upper and lower preocular, prefrontal, and anterior loreal. Supralabials 7, 6 th and 7 th largest. Infralabials 6, several equally largest. Fifth supralabial below centre of the eye. Temporals: 1 primary; 2 secondary. Ear opening round, moderately large (1.8% as percentage of SVL), with several small projecting granules on anterior margin. Suboculars 8, 3rd and 4 th separated by 5 th supralabial. Mental broader but shallower than rostral. Postmental similar size to mental. Chinshields 3 pairs. Dorsal scales largest, weakly striate. Ventral scales and subdigital lamellae smooth. Adpressed limbs not meeting. Digits moderately long, subcylindrical. Third front digit shorter than the 4 th.</p><p>Measurements (in mm; holotype with the variation shown in the specimens examined in parentheses). SVL 60.0 (mean 62.2, range 53.8–76.2), HL 8.5 (mean 9.6, range 8.1–12.5), HW 7.8 (mean 6.0, range 4.7–7.8), AG 29.6 (mean 32.4, range 28.1–39.9), SF 23.6 (mean 24.0, range 21.0–20.0), S-Ear 12.2 (mean 12.5, range 10.7– 14.7), EF 11.3 (mean 11.9, range 10.6–15.5), HLL 19.9 (mean 18.7, range 17.0–20.5), D-Ear 1.1 (mean 1.2, range 0.8–1.5).</p><p>Variation (holotype with the variation shown in the paratypes /specimens examined in parentheses). Upper ciliaries 8 (mean 7, range 5–8); lower ciliaries 10 (mean 9, range 8–10); nuchals 3 pair (mean 2 pairs, range 1–3 pairs); midbody scale rows 35 (mean 33, range 32–35); ventral scale rows 69 (mean 63, range 59–69); subdigital lamellae 19 (mean 19, range 17–22); supraciliaries 5 (mean 5, range 5–5); suboculars 6 (mean 6, range 6–6). Frontonasal usually not separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Anterior loreal usually in contact with first and second supralabial, posterior loreal usually in contact with second and third supralabial. Supralabials 7, the sixth the largest. Infralabials 5 or 6 (usual). Projecting scales usually present in ear opening. Maximum SVL of preserved specimen 76.2 mm; largest measured in field study 83 mm. Only 1 of the specimens examined had an intact tail, tail length of intact specimen 75 mm. TL/ SVL = 1.25. Ratios for morphological measurements (+ SD): AG/SF 1.35 + 0.06; S-Ear/EF 1.06 + 0.1; HL/HW 1.66 + 0.34 (N=5).</p><p>Colouration. This is variable among specimens, but the most common colouration is as follows: Mid-dorsal stripe where present not continuous. Dorsal surface mid brown, usually with light and dark flecking, 6 scale rows wide, grading into pale dorsolateral stripe extending from behind ear to base of tail, often becoming indistinct along body. This pale stripe is bordered below by a ½ scale row wide dark brown band, below that a 2-scale wide lighter brown row, notched on upper and lower edges, running from behind nostril through eye towards base of tail and becoming indistinct towards tip of tail. This band may have lighter speckling. Then a darker brown band 1 half-scales wide. This lower dark brown band is bordered below by a pale stripe, 1 to 2 half-scale rows wide running from below the eye, through the ear, above the limbs to become indistinct after the hindlimbs. This band is notched above and below. Soles of feet black. Belly bright yellow, sometimes speckled with darker flecks. Throat pale, speckled. Outer surface of forelimbs brown, speckled with light and dark. Dorsal surface of head with few dark markings. Under surface of tail blotched with pink-orange and black scales on a grey background.</p><p>Etymology. The scientific name is derived from the Latin for “salmon”, referring to the distinctive colouration on the underside of the tail. The accepted vernacular name is “Chesterfield skink” (Bell 2014).</p><p>Distribution. The species is recorded from the West Coast of the South Island, in one coastal location only at c. 0-40 m ASL in the 50.01 Hokitika Ecological District. This is a mild, flat to rolling coastal lowland region that was formerly extensively forested and experiences high rainfall. It is currently known to be restricted to exotic grasslands between coastal sand dunes and managed pasture, in which it lives amongst the vegetation and takes refuge underneath logs, driftwood and discarded inorganic material (van Winkel et al. 2018). Historically, it may have occupied coastal forest.</p><p>Natural History. Diurnal, heliothermic but cryptic sun-basker, terrestrial, may also be arboreal. A mediumsized (up to 85 mm SVL, usually &lt;75 mm; 10.5 g) species. Aviss &amp; Lyall (1995) undertook some surveys for the Chesterfield skink on the West Coast, and R. Hitchmough, L. Moran and L. Adams have undertaken more recent intensive surveys and population studies on this species since c. 2015 (R. Hitchmough, unpub. data). This species is unique in the known New Zealand skink fauna in having a prehensile tail (R. Hitchmough &amp; L. Moran, pers. comm.; Figure 8). The species has relatively slow growth, with first reproduction of females usually at 4 years old. Births have been reported in late summer (early February) (van Winkel et al. 2018).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0390B574CB052B33FF2EE3DBFC3FFEAF	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Melzer, Sabine;Hitchmough, Rod A.;Bell, Trent;Chapple, David G.;Patterson, Geoff B.	Melzer, Sabine, Hitchmough, Rod A., Bell, Trent, Chapple, David G., Patterson, Geoff B. (2019): Lost and Found: Taxonomic revision of the speckled skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum; Reptilia; Scincidae) species complex from New Zealand reveals a potential cryptic extinction, resurrection of two species, and description of three new species. Zootaxa 4623 (3): 441-484, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4623.3.2
0390B574CB012B0DFF2EE4EBFBD6FA73.text	0390B574CB012B0DFF2EE4EBFBD6FA73.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Oligosoma albornense Melzer & Hitchmough & Bell & Chapple & Patterson 2019	<div><p>Oligosoma albornense sp. nov.</p><p>Figures 9a, b</p><p>Synonyms</p><p>Oligosoma infrapunctatum</p><p>GREAVES et al. 2008; CHAPPLE et al 2009</p><p>Oligosoma aff. infrapunctatum “Chesterfield”</p><p>HITCHMOUGH, R., BULL, L. &amp; CROMARTY, P. 2007; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2010; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2013; Oligosoma aff. infrapunctatum “Alborn”</p><p>HITCHMOUGH et al. 2016a; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2016b; VAN WINKEL et al. 2018.</p><p>Holotype. Alborn Coal Mine (42º 31’S, 171º 52’E), NMNZ RE005339, female (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 14 Oct 1997);</p><p>Paratypes (3 specimens). Alborn Coal Mine (42º 31’S, 171º 52’E), 2 specimens: NMNZ RE005341, female; NMNZ RE005350, male (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 14 Oct 1997); Alborn Coal Mine (42º 31’S, 171º 52’E), NMNZ RE005366, female (coll. R. van Mierlo, P. van Klink, 06 Jan 1998)</p><p>.</p><p>Diagnosis. O. albornense can be distinguished from other species in the O. infrapunctatum species complex by a combination of characters (Figure 4 a–j). Compared with O. newmani nuchal pairs are usually 3 or below versus 3 or above ( O. albornense); usually 69 or more VS ( O. newmani) versus 69 or fewer VS ( O. albornense). HL/HW is always 1.7 or below in O. albornense whereas it is usually 1.7 or above in O. newmani . O. robinsoni differs from O. albornense in having a VS count usually 69 or greater versus 69 or below ( O. albornense); upper ciliaries 6 or less ( O. albornense) versus usually 6 or more; ventral speckling much more pronounced in O. robinsoni than O. albornense . In O. robinsoni SVL/HW is usually 11 or below, whereas in O. salmo it is 11 or above. There are statistical differences between O. salmo and O. albornense (upper ciliaries, HL/HW, S-Ear/EF, VS). O. salmo has 5 supraciliaries only, versus 6 or more in O. albornense . There are statistical differences between O. albornense and O. auroraensis sp. nov. (VS). It differs from O. auroraensis i n having subdigital lamellae usually 21 or above ( O. auroraensis sp. nov.) versus 21 or below. It appears to have a shorter tail (1.28 TL/SVL versus mean TL/SVL of 1.38 in O. auroraensis sp. nov.).</p><p>Description of Holotype. Habit lacertiform, body elongate, oval in cross-section; limbs well developed, pentadactyl. Lower eyelid with a transparent palpebral disc, bordered on sides and below by small, oblong granules. Snout moderately blunt. Nostril centred in lower middle of nasal, not touching bottom edge of nasal, pointing up and back. Supranasals absent. Rostral broader than deep. Frontonasal broader than long, not separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Frontal longer than broad, shorter than frontoparietal and interparietal together, in contact with 2 anteriormost supraoculars. Supraoculars 4, 2 nd largest. Preoculars, 2, upper upper one larger. Frontoparietals distinct, larger than the interparietal. A pair of parietals meeting behind interparietal and bordered posteriorly by a pair of nuchals and temporals, also in contact with interparietal, frontoparietal, 4 th supraocular, and 2 postoculars. Loreals 2, similar size; anterior loreal in contact with 1 st and 2 nd supralabial, posterior loreal, prefrontal, frontonasal, and nasal; posterior loreal in contact with 2 nd and 3 rd supralabial, 1 st subocular, upper and lower preocular, prefrontal, and anterior loreal. Supralabials 7, 6 th largest. Infralabials 6, several equally largest. Fifth supralabial below centre of the eye. Temporals: 1 primary; 2 secondary. Ear opening round, moderately large (2.1% as percentage of SVL), with several small projecting granules on anterior margin. Suboculars 8, 4 th and 5 th separated by 5 th supralabial. Mental broader but shallower than rostral. Postmental larger than mental. Chinshields 3 pairs. Dorsal scales largest, smooth. Ventral scales and subdigital lamellae smooth. Adpressed limbs not meeting. Digits moderately long, subcylindrical. Third front digit shorter than the 4 th.</p><p>Measurements (holotype with the variation shown in the paratypes /specimens examined in parentheses). SVL 86.6 (mean 63.3, range 33.6–86.6), HL 12.0 (mean 9.5, range 6.4–12.0), HW 7.3 (mean 5.9, range 3.8–7.3), AG 47.3 (mean 33.7, range 17.9–47.3), SF 31.3 (mean 23.9, range 14.3–31.3), S-Ear 14.7 (mean 11.7, range 7.8– 14.7), EF 16.3 (mean 12.7, range 7.8–16.3), HLL 27.1 (mean 20.4, range 10.0–27.1), D-Ear 1.8 (mean 1.5, range 0.8–1.8).</p><p>Variation (holotype with the variation shown in the paratypes /specimens examined in parentheses). Upper ciliaries 6 (mean 6, range 5–6); lower ciliaries 8 (mean 9.5, range 8–11); nuchals 4 pairs (mean 4 pairs, range 3–4 pairs); midbody scale rows 30 (mean 32, range 30–33); ventral scale rows 68 (mean 67, range 65–69); subdigital lamellae 18 (mean 19.5, range 18–21); supraciliaries 6 (mean 6, range 6–7); suboculars 6 (mean 6, range 6–6). Frontonasal sometimes not separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Anterior loreal usually in contact with first and second supralabial, posterior loreal usually in contact with second and third supralabial. Supralabials 7 (usual) or 8, the sixth or seventh the largest. Infralabials 6. Projecting scales present in ear opening. Maximum SVL 86.6 mm.</p><p>None of the specimens had an intact tail at the time of examination but an intact tail length of 113 mm of one specimen was listed in the records prior to tail removal. TL+/ SVL = 1.28. Ratios for morphological measurements (+ SD): AG/SF 1.39 + 0.11; S-Ear/EF 0.93 + 0.05; HL/HW 1.62 + 0.064 (N=4).</p><p>Colouration. Mid-dorsal stripe, intact or broken. Dorsal surface mid brown, with light and dark flecking, 6 scale rows wide, grading into pale dorsolateral stripe extending from behind head to base of tail, often becoming indistinct along body. This pale stripe is notched above and below, and is bordered below by a ½ scale row wide dark brown band, below that a 1–2 scale wide lighter brown row, notched on upper and lower edges, running from behind nostril through eye towards base of tail and continuing thereafter (unfortunately no specimens have intact tails so not able to say if it continues to tip). This band may have lighter speckling. Then a darker brown band 1 half-scales wide. This lower dark brown band is bordered below by a pale stripe, 1 to 2 half-scale rows wide running from below the eye, through the ear, above the limbs to become indistinct after the hindlimbs. This band is notched above and below. Soles of feet grey/brown. Belly colour unknown as colour has probably faded in preserved specimens. Usually speckling on belly. Throat pale, occasionally speckled. Outer surface of forelimbs brown speckled with light and dark. Colour of juveniles similar to adult.</p><p>Etymology. The scientific name is derived from the type locality, the Alborn Coal Mine of the South Island. The suggested vernacular name is “Alborn skink”.</p><p>Distribution. The species is recorded from the West Coast of the South Island, in one location only within the 48.07 Totara Flat Ecological District. This is a cool, mid-altitude, steep region that experiences high rainfall over the greywacke/argillite mountains, where much of the original forest remains. It was originally discovered among discarded mine machinery in an area where native vegetation was regenerating after mining stopped and has now been found in nearby wetland areas. It appears to be a species of forest gaps, wetland edges and high points (to c. 600 m ASL). It is currently known from artificial clearings in beech forest, pākihi, wetlands and regenerating shrubland (van Winkel et al. 2018). May occur in forest, or small wetlands within a forest matrix. When pākihi habitats flood after heavy rains, the species uses high points and logs to escape the water (van Winkel et al. 2018).</p><p>Natural History. Diurnal, heliothermic, terrestrial. A medium-sized skink, up to at least 87 mm SVL, 11.5 g in weight (van Winkel et al. 2018). Natural history is very poorly known. No studies have been undertaken on this species, apart from the surveys by Whitaker &amp; Meads (1993) and Avis &amp; Lyall (1995). Recent searches in the known 2 hectare range only resulted in 1 animal being found (J. Reardon, pers. comm.).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0390B574CB012B0DFF2EE4EBFBD6FA73	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Melzer, Sabine;Hitchmough, Rod A.;Bell, Trent;Chapple, David G.;Patterson, Geoff B.	Melzer, Sabine, Hitchmough, Rod A., Bell, Trent, Chapple, David G., Patterson, Geoff B. (2019): Lost and Found: Taxonomic revision of the speckled skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum; Reptilia; Scincidae) species complex from New Zealand reveals a potential cryptic extinction, resurrection of two species, and description of three new species. Zootaxa 4623 (3): 441-484, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4623.3.2
0390B574CB3F2B0EFF2EE08EFCB4F8C7.text	0390B574CB3F2B0EFF2EE08EFCB4F8C7.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Oligosoma auroraensis Melzer & Hitchmough & Bell & Chapple & Patterson 2019	<div><p>Oligosoma auroraensis sp. nov.</p><p>Figures 10a, b</p><p>Synonyms</p><p>Leiolopisma infrapunctatum</p><p>HARDY 1977</p><p>Oligosoma infrapunctatum</p><p>BIDINOSTI et al. 2008; GREAVES et al. 2008; CHAPPLE et al. 2009; JEWELL &amp; MORRIS 2011; TOWNS et al. 2002; DENT 2016</p><p>Oligosoma aff. infrapunctatum “southern North Island”</p><p>HITCHMOUGH, R., BULL, L. &amp; CROMARTY, P. 2007; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2010; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2013; BELL 2014; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2016a; HITCHMOUGH et al. 2016b</p><p>Oligosoma “ southern North Island”</p><p>WILES et al. 2017</p><p>Oligosoma aff. infrapunctatum “ Hawke’s Bay ”</p><p>VAN WINKEL et al. 2018.</p><p>Holotype. Ocean Beach, Cape Kidnappers (39º 45’S, 177º 00’E), NMNZ RE007397, male (coll. T. Bell 26 Mar 2015).</p><p>Paratypes (4 specimens). Ocean Beach, Cape Kidnappers (39º 45’S, 177º 00’E), 4 specimens: NMNZ RE007400, female; NMNZ RE007398, female; NMNZ RE007399, female; NMNZ RE007396, female (coll. T. Bell 26 Mar 2015) .</p><p>Other specimens examined (1 specimen). Waimarama, Hawke‘s Bay (39º 49’S, 176º 59’E), NMNZ RE000959, female (coll. Wilson, unknown date).</p><p>Diagnosis. O. auroraensis can be distinguished from other species in the O. infrapunctatum species complex by a combination of characters (Figure 4 a–j). Compared with O. newmani which has 20 or fewer subdigital lamellae on fourth hind toe O. auroraensis usually has more than 20. The mean TL/SVL in O. auroraensis is 1.38 compared with 1.22 for O. newmani and there is also a significantly higher VS count in O. auroraensis compared with O. newmani . There are statistical differences between O. albornense and O. auroraensis (VS). O. albornense differs from O. auroraensis in having subdigital lamellae usually 21 or above ( O. auroraensis) versus 21 or below. O. albornense appears to have a shorter tail (1.28 TL/SVL versus mean TL/SVL of 1.38 in O. auroraensis). VS count in O. robinsoni is usually less than 75 whereas in O. auroraensis it is greater than 75. It differs from O. robinsoni i n having subdigital lamellae usually 21 or above ( O. auroraensis) versus usually 21 or below. The mid-dorsal stripe is to base of tail in O. robinsoni, past base of tail in O. auroraensis . There are statistical differences between O. salmo and O. auroraensis (VS). O. salmo usually has fewer than 20 subdigital lamellae on the fourth hind toe versus usually greater than 20. It differs from O. auroraensis in having subdigital lamellae usually 21 or above ( O. auroraensis) versus usually 21 or below. It appears to have a shorter tail (1.25 TL/SVL versus mean TL/SVL of 1.38 in O. auroraensis). None of the O. auroraensis specimens have the extra scale between prefrontals possessed by O. infrapunctatum and O. auroraensis has 7 infralabials whereas O. infrapunctatum has 8.</p><p>Description of Holotype. Habit lacertiform, body elongate, oval in cross-section; limbs well developed, pentadactyl. Lower eyelid with a transparent palpebral disc, bordered on sides and below by small, oblong granules. Snout moderately blunt. Nostril centred in lower middle of nasal, not touching bottom edge of nasal, pointing up and back. Supranasals absent. Rostral similar in depth to width. Frontonasal broader than long, not separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Frontal longer than broad, shorter than frontoparietal and interparietal together, in contact with 2 anteriormost supraoculars. Supraoculars 4, 2 nd largest. Preoculars, 2, upper upper one larger. Frontoparietals distinct, larger than the interparietal. A pair of parietals meeting behind interparietal and bordered posteriorly by a pair of nuchals and temporals, also in contact with interparietal, frontoparietal, 3 rd supraocular, and 2 postoculars. Loreals 2, similar size; anterior loreal in contact with 1 st and 2 nd supralabial, posterior loreal, prefrontal, frontonasal, and nasal; posterior loreal in contact with 2 nd and 3 rd supralabial, 1 st subocular, upper and lower preocular, prefrontal, and anterior loreal. Supralabials 7, 7 th largest. Infralabials 6, several equally largest. Fifth supralabial below centre of the eye. Temporals: 1 primary; 2 secondary. Ear opening round, moderately large (1.9% as percentage of SVL), with several small projecting granules on anterior margin. Suboculars 8, 4 th and 5 th separated by 5 th supralabial. Mental broader but shallower than rostral. Postmental larger than mental. Chinshields 3 pairs. Dorsal scales largest. Ventral scales and subdigital lamellae smooth. Adpressed limbs meeting. Digits moderately long, subcylindrical. Third front digit shorter than the 4 th.</p><p>Measurements (holotype with the variation shown in the paratypes /specimens examined in parentheses). SVL 70.1 (mean 77.9, range 68.0–92.0), HL 11.6 (mean 12.2, range 11.2–13.8), HW 6.6 (mean 7.1, range 6.4–8.1), AG 36.2 (mean 41.0, range 34.0–49.7), SF 27.5 (mean 29.3, range 27.0–32.4), S-Ear 14.8 (mean 14.8, range 14.0–15.7), EF 14.7 (mean 15.8, range 14.0–18.3), HLL 27.0 (mean 28.5, range 26.0–31.0), D-Ear 1.3 (mean 1.3, range 1.1–1.7).</p><p>Variation (holotype with the variation shown in the paratypes /specimens examined in parentheses). Upper ciliaries 7 (mean 7, range 5–8); lower ciliaries 12 (mean 10, range 8–12); nuchals 3 pair (mean 3 pairs, range 2–3 pairs); midbody scale rows 32 (mean 31, range 30–32); ventral scale rows 73 (mean 77, range 73–82); subdigital lamellae 22 (mean 21, range 19–22); supraciliaries 5L/6R (mean 5, range 5–6); suboculars 6 (mean 6, range 5–6). Frontonasal usually not separated from frontal by prefrontals meeting in midline. Anterior loreal always in contact with first and second supralabial, posterior loreal always in contact with second and third supralabial. Supralabials 7, the sixth the largest. Infralabials 6 (usual) or 7. Projecting scales usually present in ear opening. Maximum SVL 92.0 mm.</p><p>Two of the specimens examined had an intact tail, tail length of intact specimens ranging between 110 – 114 mm. Mean TL/ SVL = 1.40. Ratios for morphological measurements (+ SD): AG/SF 1.39 + 0.13; S-Ear/EF 0.94 + 0.07; HL/HW 1.72 + 0.24 (N=6).</p><p>Colouration. This is variable among specimens, but the most common colouration is as follows: Mid-dorsal stripe where present not usually continuous, but if continuous carries past base of tail. Dorsal surface mid brown, usually with light and dark flecking, 5–6 scale rows wide, grading into pale dorsolateral stripe extending from behind eye to base of tail. This pale stripe is bordered below by a ½ scale row wide dark brown band, below that a 2-scale wide lighter brown row, notched on upper and lower edges, running from behind nostril through eye towards base of tail and becoming indistinct towards tip of tail. This band may have lighter speckling. Then a darker brown band 1 half-scales wide. This lower dark brown band is bordered below by a pale stripe, 1 to 2 half-scale rows wide running from below the eye, through the ear, above the limbs to become indistinct after the hindlimbs. This band is notched above and below. Soles of feet cream/brown. Belly pale yellow, speckled with darker flecks. Throat pale, speckled. Outer surface of forelimbs brown, speckled with light and dark. Dorsal surface of head with few dark markings. Under surface of tail shades to grey from yellow. Juvenile colour unknown.</p><p>Etymology. The scientific name is derived from the meaning of aurora ‘of the dawn’ and the eastern location of the species. Suggested vernacular names are Hawke’s Bay skink, or eastern speckled skink.</p><p>Distribution. The species is recorded from the Hawke’s Bay region of the North Island, in the 34.01 Eastern Hawkes Bay Ecological District. This distribution is well southeast of what is termed as the ‘Taupo Line biogeographic barrier’; other O. aff. infrapunctatum records also exists for south of this line but their identities are not yet confirmed at specific level (Chapple &amp; Hitchmough 2016). This species is recorded from the coast to 180 m ASL. The species has been found in coastal dunes, grassland, low shrubland, scrubland and coastal forest edges (van Winkel et al. 2018).</p><p>Natural History. Diurnal, strongly heliothermic, terrestrial. A large skink (up to 100 mm SVL, 23 g) that is known from coast and lowland habitats. Population studies have been undertaken at Cape Sanctuary by Victoria University of Wellington (Bidinosti et al. 2008, Dent 2016, N. Nelson pers. comm.). Dent (2016) estimated the density of eastern speckled skinks to range between 880–990 / ha in exotic grassland and represented 97–99% of all skink captures at a small study site in Cape Sanctuary, but this population was apparently not increasing in response to predatory pest control. The range of these skinks within Cape Sanctuary is currently restricted to a few known grassland and duneland sites (Bidinosti et al. 2008, Dent 2016). Sex ratios at this population are equal (Dent 2016, T. Bell, unpub. data). From a large sample of individuals at this location, the mean SVL was 70 mm (range 30–100 mm), original tail length exceeds SVL by a ratio of 1.3, up to 130 mm; mean weight was 8.75 g (range 2–23g); and the percentage of tail loss was very high (81%) although these were typically represented as loss of tail tips (E. Dent, unpub. data; T. Bell, unpub. data). A single melanistic individual has been recorded in this population (Wiles 2017).</p><p>Discussion. Specimens from five localities have been genotyped and are members of or close to Clade 4 of Greaves et al. (2008; Figure 2). This clade originally included specimens from the coast near Whanganui. A specimen from Westport was sister to this clade and is separated by 2.9% sequence divergence (Table 2). We have obtained ND2 sequences from additional specimens from Ngamatea Station, Kaimanawa Ranges, and from Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay. The Ngamatea Station samples clustered most closely with the Whanganui coast clade (2.8% model corrected ND2 sequence divergence), and the Hawkes Bay samples with the Westport specimen (2.9% model corrected ND2 sequence divergence). An additional specimen labelled „Awarua Point“, but in our opinion clearly mislabelled, also clustered closely with the Hawkes Bay samples. DNA could not be extracted from a museum specimen from Waimarama, Hawke‘s Bay, but this locality is geographically close to Cape Kidnappers and the specimen is morphologically similar to the Cape Kidnappers ones. We have based this description on the Hawkes Bay populations only, recognising that the Whanganui Coast and Kaimanawas populations (5.3% divergent from the Hawkes Bay population, a deeper separation than that between O. salmo and O. albornense) are likely to require description as a distinct species. These populations are also morphologically distinctive, in particular a specimen from Waiinu Beach seen by one of us (GBP) is quite different from any other members of the O. infrapunctatum group so far examined. However, we lack sufficient preserved material to fully assess or formally describe this potential species here. DNA could not be extracted from the Wairarapa museum specimens, and no live individuals have been found in the Wairarapa region since the 1970s, despite recent species-specific survey effort (T. Bell, unpub. data, 2018). These specimens show some morphological differences from the Cape Kidnappers ones and their taxonomic identity requires further work. The taxonomic status of the unique Westport specimen (2.9% divergent from the Cape Kidnappers population) also requires confirmation.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0390B574CB3F2B0EFF2EE08EFCB4F8C7	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Melzer, Sabine;Hitchmough, Rod A.;Bell, Trent;Chapple, David G.;Patterson, Geoff B.	Melzer, Sabine, Hitchmough, Rod A., Bell, Trent, Chapple, David G., Patterson, Geoff B. (2019): Lost and Found: Taxonomic revision of the speckled skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum; Reptilia; Scincidae) species complex from New Zealand reveals a potential cryptic extinction, resurrection of two species, and description of three new species. Zootaxa 4623 (3): 441-484, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4623.3.2
