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part of New
Zealand's fauna for millions of years, allowing time for many early species to diverge and become distinct from each other. One 2009 study by Chapple, Ritchie and Daugherty, investigating “the origin and diversification” of New Zealand's skinks, produced a molecular phylogeny by analysing genetic sequences of all but one living species. It suggested that all indigenous New Zealand skinks form a monophyletic group with a single ancestor, and that they initially arrived during the early Miocene era, by clinging to floating debris from New Caledonia. From this early colonisation they underwent adaptive radiation to fill a variety of ecological niches, spreading across New Zealand to form the numerous species known today.
295:) may present a further threat to copper skink populations. A prolific breeder, the rainbow skink occupies a very similar niche to the copper skink in terms of habitat and diet, indicating a significant competition between the species. Despite the concern, there has been relatively little research conducted into the potential effects of rainbow skinks in New Zealand. One 2004 study did compare the condition of captive copper and rainbow skinks housed together with those housed separately, and did not find significant difference between the two. However, due to the high overlap of the species’ resource requirements, the rainbow skink is still considered by many to be a potential threat to copper skink populations.
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The copper skink occupies a range of habitats, from forested areas to urban gardens, and sand dune ecosystems, and farm land. Like many skinks, it has a largely carnivorous diet and feeds mostly on small insects and other invertebrates. Copper skinks are viviparous, and mate in spring before giving
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The copper skink is New
Zealand's smallest indigenous skink, with a mature length of no more than 120mm. Like most skinks, it has smooth skin covering a long body, with relatively short legs. The tail makes up a considerable proportion of the body length, and tapers to a point. The skink is capable
260:
The initial arrival of the copper skink (and indeed any other skink species) to New
Zealand is somewhat uncertain, and is a topic of considerable debate. The level of genetic diversity between the copper skink and other indigenous species suggests strongly that they and their ancestors have been a
285:
where there was no natural population. Despite a large domestic cat population the descendants of these relocated Copper Skinks are still present with juveniles regularly found at the original release site (most recent obs July 2020). This demonstrates that relocations of this species into urban
229:
The number of skink species endemic to New
Zealand is not yet known, as advancing molecular studies indicate genetic divergence amongst many groups previously considered a single species. At present, there is estimated to be between 50 and 60 species, all of the family Scincidae. Following a
277:. It is a common sight in many Auckland gardens, due to its ability to thrive in a range of microhabitats. In the early 1980s (when this species had unprotected status) about a dozen adult Copper Skinks were captured in a park near
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of shedding its tail to distract predators when threatened, before regenerating a new one – a process known as caudal autotomy. Copper skinks have small heads with round, lidded eyes, which they are capable of blinking.
388:
Chapple, D.G.; Patterson, J.B.; Bell, T.; Daugherty, C.H. (2008). "Taxonomic
Revision of the New Zealand Copper Skink (Cyclodina aenea: Squamata: Scincidae) Species Complex, with Descriptions of Two New Species".
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Norbury, G.; Van den
Munckhof, M.; Neitzel, S.; Hutcheon, A.; Reardon, J.; Ludwig, K. (2014). "Impacts of invasive house mice on post-release survival of translocated lizards".
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gardens can be successful. However, introduced mammalian predators such as cats, rodents and hedgehogs have proven to reduce their population numbers in many regions.
679:
Towns, C.R.; Daugherty, C.H.; Cree, A. (2001). "Raising the prospects for a forgotten fauna: a review of 10 years of conservation effort for New
Zealand reptiles".
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In addition to the threat of mammalian predators, there are concerns that the competition for resources between the copper skink and the introduced rainbow skink (
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Despite the dramatic alteration of New
Zealand's landscape by humans, the copper skink has adapted relatively well to urbanisation of its environment. In 2012 the
883:
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Chapple, D.G.; Ritchie, P.A.; Daugherty, C.H. (2009). "Origin, diversification, and systematics of the New
Zealand skink fauna (Reptilia: Scincidae)".
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234:, and found to be both genetically and morphologically diverged from two other skink species that were previously considered synonymic.
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Jones, C.; Norbury, G.; Bell, T. (2013). "Impacts of introduced
European hedgehogs on endemic skinks and weta in tussock grassland".
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Hitchmough, Rod; Anderson, Peter; Barr, Ben; Monks, Jo; Lettink, Marieke; Reardon, James; Tocher, Mandy; Whitaker, Tony.
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taxonomic revision of the species complex in 2008, the copper skink was assigned the scientific name of
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Neotype specimen of Cyclodina aenea held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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Distribution, habitat use, breeding and behavioural ecology of rainbow skinks (
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spp. skink recovery plan 1999-2004 (Threatened Species Recovery Plan 27)"
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Holotype specimen of Cyclodina aenea held at the Smithsonian Institution
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New Zealand Herpetological Society. (2014). NZ Reptiles. Retrieved from
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Department of Conservation. (n.d). Rainbow Skinks. Retrieved from
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birth to between 3-7 relatively large offspring in late summer.
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273:(DOC) classified the copper skink as Not Threatened under the
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569:"Conservation status of New Zealand reptiles, 2012"
450:Clause, Amanda R.; Capaldi, Elizabeth A. (2006).
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452:"Caudal autotomy and regeneration in lizards"
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431:. Wellington, NZ: Department of Conservation
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535:. Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi Inc. 2010
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730:. New Zealand Department of Conservation
359:Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand
275:New Zealand Threat Classification System
557:. David Bateman. Auckland, New Zealand.
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456:Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A
281:and released in the Lynmore suburb of
950:Taxa named by Charles Frédéric Girard
317:Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
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899:ec3848ef-76aa-4a9e-8e99-6f19e47b04cb
353:Wilson, Kerry-Jayne (1 March 2014).
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612:"Copper Skink (Oligosoma aeneum)"
598:"Copper Skink (Oligosoma aeneum)"
355:"Lizards - Origins and diversity"
553:Gill, B. and T. Whitaker. 2001.
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935:Endemic reptiles of New Zealand
578:. The Government of New Zealand
533:Tiritiri Matangi Open Sanctuary
509:(M.Sc.). University of Auckland
627:New Zealand Journal of Ecology
555:New Zealand Frogs and Reptiles
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693:10.1016/S0006-3207(00)00184-1
329:10.1016/j.ympev.2009.03.021
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945:Reptiles described in 1858
576:Department of Conservation
271:Department of Conservation
496:Peace, Joanne E. (2004).
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225:Taxonomy and systematics
681:Biological Conservation
391:Journal of Herpetology
719:Towns, D. R. (1999).
501:Lampropholis delicata
292:Lampropholis delicata
247:Ecology and behaviour
600:. 29 October 2018.
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646:Wildlife Research
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858:iNaturalist
791:Wikispecies
687:(1): 3–16.
219:New Zealand
929:Categories
299:References
940:Oligosoma
876:120189099
723:Cyclodina
427:Cyclodina
207:Scincidae
135:Species:
128:Oligosoma
117:Scincidae
73:Kingdom:
67:Eukaryota
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782:Q3350571
776:Wikidata
666:86181537
478:17068798
411:86821723
337:19345273
279:Tauranga
209:that is
172:Synonyms
113:Family:
107:Squamata
97:Reptilia
87:Chordata
83:Phylum:
77:Animalia
63:Domain:
850:5426391
582:18 July
283:Rotorua
238:Anatomy
213:to the
211:endemic
202:of the
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103:Order:
93:Class:
912:aeneum
896:NZOR:
889:105716
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811:922164
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429:skink"
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204:family
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734:6 May
728:(PDF)
662:S2CID
572:(PDF)
539:7 May
513:6 May
507:(PDF)
435:7 May
407:S2CID
364:7 May
200:skink
884:NCBI
871:IUCN
845:GBIF
806:BOLD
736:2017
584:2015
541:2017
515:2017
474:PMID
460:305A
437:2017
366:2017
333:PMID
188:The
832:EoL
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