Shore skink facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shore skink
Scientific classification
Genus:	Oligosoma
Species:	smithi
Synonyms
Mocoa smithii Gray, 1845 Lygosomella aestuosa Girard, 1857 Lampropholis smithii — Fitzinger, 1861 Euprepes smithii — Steindachner, 1869 Norbea isolata Hutton, 1872 Lygosoma smithii — Boulenger, 1887 Lygosoma (Leiolopisma) smithi — M.A. Smith, 1937 Leiolopisma smithii — Mittleman, 1952 Lygosomella smithi — Wells & Wellington, 1985 Oligosoma smithi — Patterson & Daugherty, 1995

Oligosoma smithi, commonly known as the shore skink, short-tailed skink, Smith's ground skink, Smith's moco, and Smith's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand.

Habitat

Oligosoma smithi is always found near the shoreline and prefers open areas such as around driftwood at the high tide mark.

Diet

Oligosoma smithi eats insects and probably anything that moves and fits in its mouth.

Behavior

Oligosoma smithi is diurnal (active during the day) and spends most of its time hunting or basking in the sun.

Description

Oligosoma smithi is small species of skink, growing to a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 8 cm (3.1 in). It is well camouflaged, and may be found in a range of colours, sometimes almost black. Like most New Zealand skinks, it is viviparous (reproduces by giving birth to live young).

Conservation status

As of 2012 the Department of Conservation (DOC) classified Oligosoma smithi as Not Threatened under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

Etymology

The specific name, smithi, is in honor of British naval officer Lt Alexander Smith who collected the original specimens in the 1840s, and presented them to his uncle John Edward Gray, who described the new species.