Research

Giant Litter Skink Caledoniscincus festivus

Conservation status: Lower risk - least concern

Description: A moderately large, surface active species of skink growing to a body length of 68 mm, with a tail 160% the length of the body, and well developed limbs. Colouration differs markedly between males and females but consists of shades of brown and grey. Males have a diffuse and poorly defined pattern, whereas females and young of both sexes are typically a two-toned light brown to grey above and darker at the sides. The scales of the body have three distinct ridges or keels running along each scale.

Natural distribution: Widespread throughout New Caledonia over a wide altitudinal range. Not present on offshore islands, the Isle des Pins, or islands in the Loyalty Islands group. The species has been recorded from a range of forest habitats at low to mid elevation and high elevation maquis shrubland.

Maquis shrubland - low and heath-like vegetation.

Distribution within Province Sud: Recorded from a number of scattered localities in the south of the province at low to high elevation. There is a large gap in distribution between Mt Ouin and Sarramea that most likely reflects a lack collecting in lowland and mid elevation moist forest habitat in this area.

Distribution within Province Nord: Recorded from mid elevation sites in the central ranges at Col d' Rousettes and Mt Aoupinie, low elevation sites on coastal ranges in the northeast from Poindimie to Mt Ignambi, and near coastal ranges on the west coast.

Threats:

• potentially high level of threat to closed forest and sclerophyll forest populations with high infestation levels of introduced Fire Ants (Wasmannia auropunctata) causing significant decline in abundance
• moderate to high level of threat to populations in sclerophyll and low elevation closed forest on the west coast from clearing for ranching or agriculture resulting in loss and further fragmentation of habitat
• moderate level of threat to isolated high elevation closed forest on ultramafic soils through activities associated with mining (particularly gully forests affected by mining spoil) resulting in a decline in area, extent and quality habitat
• low level of threat to populations in low elevation closed forest on the east coast from clearing for subsistence agriculture resulting in loss and further fragmentation of habitat
• low level of threat to mid elevation forest for timber plantations resulting in a decline in area, extent and quality habitat
• low level of threat to closed forest edge through repeated firing of adjacent savannah habitat resulting in a decline in area, extent and quality of habitat

Conservation status: Secure. The species is not considered to be under any immediate threat because of its relatively widespread distribution over large areas of potentially suitable habitat away from disturbance. Preliminary studies indicate the presence of fire ants has a negative impact on the related forest dwelling species Caledoniscincus austrocaledonicus. It is possible a similar impact might be experienced by C. festivus and other diurnal, forest floor dwelling skinks.

Diurnal - active during daylight hours

Future research required:

• identification of distinct geographic units

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