Southern Marbled Skink

The southern marbled skink (Oligosoma pachysomaticum), also called the Coromandel skink, is a small, secretive skink of a few offshore islands east of the Coromandel Peninsula. It is light brown with fine dark flecks and pale, dark-edged blotches along the sides. A white teardrop mark sits below each eye, and the short, thick tail narrows abruptly.

It is restricted to the Alderman Islands, Ohinau Island and the Mercury Islands. It lives close to the ground beneath forest debris and rocks and feeds on invertebrates and fruit.

Southern marbled skink is At Risk — Uncommon (NZ Threat Classification), classed as conservation dependent. Its range is a handful of islands, so it relies on those islands staying free of introduced mammals. The islands are protected and access is controlled, so public sightings are very unlikely.