Atlas species information

Habitat

• Found in highly modified habitat; rough pasture and low shrublands.

Description

• Upper surfaces of back mid to dark brown, often with prominent lighter and darker flecking.
• sides with broad dark brown stripe above, bordered by thin pale stripes that are typically very notched, and below this flecked grey-brown.
• Tail similar but with rusty-red flecking and blotching.
• Lower surfaces pinkish and sometimes with dark speckling, belly yellow and usually unmarked.
• Snout vent length around 65-75 mm.
• Diurnal.

Distribution

• Known only from a small area of coastal paddocks in Chesterfield near Hokitika, West Coast of the South Island.

Notes

• A proposed new species and likely to be formerly described as a distinct species.
• Notes about 2012-14 cycle of NZ threat classification for Reptiles: (Hitchmough, et al.
• 2012): No new data; continued risk from dairy development - more potential habitat has been lost in recent years; potential risk from renewed mining and associated infrastructure; Chesterfield population very small and localised, potentially threatened by any change in farming practices, Alborn population very small (TW found 2-3 individuals) - pathway changed in 2012 because we weren't sure of 50-70% decline over 3 generations, but fairly confident that there are fewer than 200 individuals in the 2 known populations.