Nevis skink

{{Short description|Species of lizard}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Oligosoma toka.jpg

| name = Nevis skink

| status = EN

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Hitchmough, R. |author2=Chapple, D. |author3=van Winkel, D. |author4=Lettink, M. |date=2019 |title=Oligosoma toka |volume=2019 |page=e.T120190199A120192694 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T120190199A120192694.en |access-date=18 November 2021}}

| genus = Oligosoma

| species = toka

| authority = Chapple, Bell, Chapple, Miller, Patterson & Daugherty, 2011

| synonyms =

| range_map = Oligosoma toka - map.svg

| range_map_caption = Distribution of Oligosoma toka on a map of the South Island {{leftlegend|#05833E|Known native range}}

}}

The Nevis skink (Oligosoma toka) is a nationally vulnerable species of skink native to New Zealand. It is named in honour of the location of its habitat, the Nevis valley.{{cite web|title=Oligosoma toka CHAPPLE, BELL, CHAPPLE, MILLER, DAUGHERTY & PATTERSON, 2011|url=http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Oligosoma&species=toka|website=The Reptile Database|publisher=The Reptile Database|accessdate=20 July 2015}}

Conservation status

As of 2012 the Department of Conservation (DOC) classified the Nevis skink as Nationally Vulnerable under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.{{cite web|last1=Hitchmough|first1=Rod|last2=Anderson|first2=Peter|last3=Barr|first3=Ben|last4=Monks|first4=Jo|last5=Lettink|first5=Marieke|last6=Reardon|first6=James|last7=Tocher|first7=Mandy|last8=Whitaker|first8=Tony|title=Conservation status of New Zealand reptiles, 2012|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/science-and-technical/nztcs2entire.pdf|website=Department of Conservation|publisher=The Government of New Zealand|accessdate=18 July 2015}}

Similar species

The Nevis skink can be mistaken for the more common northern grass skink (Oligosoma polychroma), though tends to have a heavier body build and a less-streamlined head.

References

{{Reflist}}