Atlas species information

Habitat

• Forest and scrub, including manuka/kanuka shrubland, coprosma species, taupata, and pohuehue vinelands.
• Known mainly from lowland areas.
• Diurnal, sun-basks among foliage.
• Arboreal.

Description

• Bright green (rarely yellow), uniform, or head (and often also body and tail) with rows of small pale green, white or yellow spots or thin angular markings that are not outlined.
• Undersurface pale yellowish-green (female) or pale bluish-green (male).
• Mouth lining pink with bluish tinge, tongue pink.
• Eye light olive-brown.
• Measures about 54-68 mm from snout tip to vent.
• Enlarged scales on nape and pelvic area, and often also extending into narrow dorso-lateral rows (longitudinal rows along the junction of the back and sides).
• Diurnal (day-active), basks among foliage.

Distribution

• Marlborough north of the Wairau River and as far west as the Bryant Range, including a number of islands (eg Stephens, D'Urville, Arapawa and Motuara).
• Generally sparse, but regarded to be common in suitable habitat, and can be abundant on predator-free islands.

Notes

• Maturity takes 3 (male) or 4 (female) years.
• In 1998 the Department of Conservation translocated 14 individuals from Arapawa Island to Motuara Island, and in 2003 translocated 44 individuals from Stephens Island to Whakaterepapanui Island, establishing two new populations.
• The scientific name refers to manuka, a shrub on which the species often lives.
• Notes about 2008-10 cycle of NZ threat classification for Reptiles (Hitchmough et al 2010): Secure populations on sounds islands.
• Notes about 2012-14 cycle of NZ threat classification for Reptiles: (Hitchmough, et al.
• 2012): One secure population on a predator free island, translocations to two other islands (success not confirmed), three other island populations, but with predation pressure.
• Very few records from the mainland (only two found in last 3 years).