Research

Loyalty Islands Emoia Emoia loyaltiensis

Conservation status: Vulnerable

Description: A moderately large skink growing to a body length of 83mm, with well developed limbs, a long tail up to 170% of the body, a relatively flat, depressed head, and smooth body scales. Colouration is uniformly brown to greyish-olive above or with dark markings forming a pattern of irregular transverse bars or blotches along the dorsolateral edge. Ventral surface is white with a yellow flush to the abdomen and underside of the hindlimbs and tail.

Natural distribution: The species is endemic to the islands of Lifou and Mare in the Loyalty Islands group. It is largely arboreal (living in trees) in habits and occurs in both natural and disturbed forest.

Distribution within Province Loyalties: see above.

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 level of threat to closed forest from clearing for subsistence agriculture, leading to loss and further fragmentation of habitat

Conservation status: Emoia loyaltiensis comprises two separate sub-populations with a combined potential area of occupancy of less than 1,000km2. It is know from four coastal sites on Mare and four on Lifou, and is considered to be broadly distributed throughout both islands. It appears to be able to cope with some degree of disturbance and has been recorded from plantation areas with trees that have suitable basking and sheltering sites. The species small distribution in combination with the longterm impact of clearing for subsistence place it at risk, and Emoia loyaltiensis is here categorised as Vulnerable.

Future research required:

• undertake targeted survey work to more comprehensively document the species overall distribution on each island
• research to determine whether each island sub-population represents a distinct geographic unit
• determine the threats to its preferred habitat
• determine the levels of infestation of introduced fire ants and monitor population trends for the species

Copyright © Australian Museum, 2002