Slight skink
Encyclopedia
The slight skink, Oligosoma levidensum, is a skink
of the family
Scincidae, endemic to the far north of the North Island
of New Zealand
. The precise distribution is unknown, currently it is only known from localities in the Te Paki region of Northland. It closely resembles the copper skink, Oligosoma aeneum, and was considered to be a member of this species until recently when it was described as a new species using morphological, allozyme and DNA
methods (Chapple et al. 2008). O. levidensum is difficult to distinguish morphologically from O. aeneum, which is probably why it had not been recognized until recently. The main distinguishing feature is the slighter overall body form of O. levidensum compared to O. aeneum. The limbs of O. levidensum are reduced compared to O. aeneum and O. hardyi - the other members of the O. aeneum complex. (Chapple et al. 2008)
Skink
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae. Together with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae , they comprise the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha...
of the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Scincidae, endemic to the far north of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The precise distribution is unknown, currently it is only known from localities in the Te Paki region of Northland. It closely resembles the copper skink, Oligosoma aeneum, and was considered to be a member of this species until recently when it was described as a new species using morphological, allozyme and DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
methods (Chapple et al. 2008). O. levidensum is difficult to distinguish morphologically from O. aeneum, which is probably why it had not been recognized until recently. The main distinguishing feature is the slighter overall body form of O. levidensum compared to O. aeneum. The limbs of O. levidensum are reduced compared to O. aeneum and O. hardyi - the other members of the O. aeneum complex. (Chapple et al. 2008)