Atlas species information

Habitat

• Open areas including scrub, grasslands, and coastlines.
• May live among dense vegetation or in rocky situation such as scree and rock piles.
• Ranges upwards to at least 1600 m above sea level.
• Diurnal, avid sun-basker.
• Terrestrial.
• Can be difficult to detect in densely vegetated habitats.

Description

• Back light to dark brown, olive or green, patterned with regular pale flecks that are edged with black, and sometimes with additional black flecking.
• Edges of back often with a cream or light brown stripe that may be smooth or flecked.
• Sides with a broad dark brown or black stripe above that is often heavily flecked and often bordered below by a thin pale stripe, and below this, flecked grey or creamy colour.
• Throat grey, sometimes with dark flecks.
• Belly grey, pink or red, unmarked.
• Measures about 85-111 mm from snout tip to vent.

Distribution

• South-eastern North Island from Hawkes Bay to Wellington, eastern Nelson, including several islands in Nelson, Cook Strait area.
• Can be abundant, but very localized.
• O.
• lineoocellatum s.
• s.
• is confined to Mackenzie Basin and neighbouring areas in SI.

Notes

• Notes about NZ threat classification (Hitchmough, et al 2007): Appears to be declining more rapidly in North Island; unresolved taxonomic issues, this listing includes North Island, Nelson and Marlborough Sounds populations, uncertain whether criterion of 5% population decline per 10 years is triggered overall but very serious situation of mainland populations (particularly North Island) justifies listing.
• Notes about 2008-10 cycle of NZ threat classification for Reptiles (Hitchmough et al 2010): Secure on Stephens Island and other islands, declining significantly on North and South Island mainland.
• Notes about 2012-14 cycle of NZ threat classification for Reptiles: (Hitchmough, et al.
• 2012): New scattered records from known locations in the Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay; within a (very small) mainland island in the Wairarapa and likely to be recovering there.
• Still secure on Stephens.