Taxonomy
Common name :
Le scinque géant de Garnier
Garnier's Giant Skink Red List Status -
Least Concern (LC) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
This species is listed as Least Concern because it is extremely widespread and is able to occupy a wide range of disturbed and modified habitats. In addition, it is present in many protected areas.
Geographical area
This species is endemic to New Caledonia. It occurs throughout Grande Terre From Poum to Ile des Pins and nearby islands, and on Lifou. It occurs at elevations up to at least 1,000 m. The extent of occurrence is estimated at 38,082 km2 and the area of occupancy at 84 km2.
Population
This is an extremely elusive skink that is encountered only infrequently, meaning there is no information on population size and trends. It is presumed to have undergone a significant loss of natural habitat as a result of the past widespread clearance for agriculture and mining and as a consequence of wildfires, but the effect may have been partly offset by this species' ability to occupy modified habitats with dense ground vegetation (e.g. savanna woodlands, subsistence gardens).
Habitat
This species inhabits a very wide range of open and wooded habitats, including supralittoral vegetation, savanna, sclerophyll forest, closed humid forest and montane forest margins, and maquis shrublands. Also present in modified landscapes such as farmland and gardens. It is diurnal, terrestrial and is active in sunlight. It shelters beneath stones and logs, and holes in the ground; secretive and generally forages within dense ground vegetation or stick litter.
Threats
Phoboscincus garnieri is threatened by further loss and degradation of habitats through clearance for agriculture and afforestation, and to a lesser extent by mining and wildfires, particularly when these result in highly simplified vegetation (e.g. exotic pasture). There is a potentially significant threat from the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctatus at low to mid-elevations as it is known to decimate lizard populations. Predation by introduced mammals (rodents, cats, dogs and pigs) is an ever-present risk.
Conservation
This species is protected in Province Nord under Code de l'environnement de la Province Nord (Délibération No. 306-2008/APN, 24 October 2008) and in Province Sud under Code de l'environnement de la Province Sud (Délibération No. 25-2009/APS, 20 March 2009). It is present in most reserves throughout New Caledonia. No specific conservation management is currently being undertaken.
Bibliography
Uetz, P. (ed.) 2017. The Reptile Database.
Jourdan, H., Sadlier, R.A. and Bauer, A.M. 2001. Little Fire Ant Invasion (Wasmannia auropunctata) as a threat to New Caledonian lizards: Evidences from a sclerophyll forest (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology(38) , p.283-301.
Bauer, A.M. and Sadlier, R.A. 2000. The Herpetofauna of New Caledonia.
IUCN 2021. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-2.
Jourdan, H., Sadlier, R.A. and Bauer, A.M. 2000. Premières observations sur les conséquences de l’invasion de Wasmannia auropunctata 1863 (Roger) sur les prédateurs supérieurs dans les écosystèmes Néo-calédoniens. Actes des collectes insectes sociaux(13) , p.121-126.
Experts
Assessor(s): Sadlier, R., Bauer, A., Jourdan, H., Astrongatt, S., Deuss, M., Duval, T., Bourguet, E., McCoy, S., Bouteiller, A., Lagrange, A.
Reviewer(s): Cox, N.
Contributor(s): Whitaker, A.
Facilitator(s): Warimavute, G., Lietar, J., Tanguy, V.