Oligosoma newmani WELLS & WELLINGTON, 1985
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Oligosoma newmani?
Oligosoma newmani
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| Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Eugongylinae (Eugongylini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Newman’s speckled skink |
| Synonym | Oligosoma newmani WELLS & WELLINGTON 1985 Lygosoma infrapunctatum — WERNER 1895 Lygosoma infrapunctatum — SMITH 1937 Lygosoma infrapunctatum — McCANN 1955 Leiolopisma infrapunctata — MITTLEMAN 1952 Leiolopisma infrapunctatum — McCANN 1955 Leiolopisma infrapunctatum — McCANN 1956 Leiolopisma infrapunctatum — WORTHY 1991 Leiolopisma infrapunctatum — EAST et al. 1995 Leiolopisma infrapunctatum — MARKWELL 1995 Leiolopisma infrapunctatum — EFFORD et al. 1997 Oligosoma infrapunctatum — DUNCAN 1999 Oligosoma infrapunctatum — EFFORD et al. 2001 Oligosoma infrapunctatum — MOCKETT et al. 2016 Oligosoma infrapunctatum — NELSON et al. 2016 Oligosoma infrapunctatum — VAN WINKEL et al. 2018 Oligosoma newmani — MELZER et al. 2019: 453 |
| Distribution | New Zealand (South Island only, on Stephens Island [Takapourewa], the West Coast and Nelson Lakes across a range of ecological districts: Sounds, Karamea, Ngakawau, Foulwind, Maimai, Greymouth, Rotoroa and Hokitikia) Type locality: Stephens Island (Takapourewa) (40° 40’S, 174° 00’E) |
| Reproduction | ovovivparous |
| Types | Holotype: NMNZ RE004481 (coll. G. Woodward, Jan 1963). 50 additional specimens are given in Melzer et al. 2019: 599 (erratum). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: O. newmani can be distinguished from other species in the O. infrapunctatum species-complex by a combination of characters (Figure 4a–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 [Melzer et al. 2019: 462]. |
| Comment | Synonymy: mostly after Melzer et al. 2019, who revalidated O. newmani but whose synonymy is also somewhat confusing as it remains unclear if all the listed authors really dealt with O. newmani. Habitat: 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 tempe- rature tussock-scrub-low forest mosaic forest on the rocky plateaux in alpine regions; includes glacial river terraces in cool inland beech country. Terrestrial. Behavior: Diurnal, strongly heliothermic. Variation: This species can be highly variable in size and colour. |
| Etymology | Named for Donald G. Newman of New Zealand, in recognition of his contributions to herpetology (Wells & Wellington 1985). |
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