Noronha skink
Noronha skink | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Scincidae |
Genus: | Trachylepis |
Species: | T. atlantica
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Binomial name | |
Trachylepis atlantica (Schmidt, 1945)
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Location of Fernando de Noronha, the island to which the Noronha skink is endemic.[2] | |
Synonyms[fn 8] | |
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The Noronha skink[13] (Trachylepis atlantica) is a species of skink from the island of Fernando de Noronha off northeastern Brazil. It is covered with dark and light spots on the upperparts and is usually about 7 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) in length. The tail is long and muscular, but breaks off easily. Very common throughout Fernando de Noronha, it is an opportunistic feeder, eating both insects and plant material, including nectar from the Erythrina velutina tree, as well as other material ranging from cookie crumbs to eggs of its own species. Introduced predators such as feral cats prey on it and several parasitic worms infect it.
Perhaps seen by Amerigo Vespucci in 1503, it was first formally described in 1839. Its subsequent taxonomic history has been complex, riddled with confusion with Trachylepis maculata and other species, homonyms, and other problems. The species is classified in the otherwise mostly African genus Trachylepis and is thought to have reached its island from Africa by rafting. The enigmatic Trachylepis tschudii, supposedly from Peru, may well be the same species.
Discovery and taxonomy
In an early account of what may be Fernando de Noronha, purportedly based on a voyage by Amerigo Vespucci in 1503, the island was said to be inhabited by "lizards with two tails", which is thought be a reference to the Noronha skink.[14] The tail is long and fragile, and it breaks easily, like that of many skinks and other lizards, following which it may regenerate. However, when it does not completely break off, a new tail may nevertheless grow out of the broken part, so that the tail appears forked.[14]
19th century
The species was first formally described by
20th century
In 1900, L.G. Andersson claimed that Gray's name punctata was
Karl Patterson Schmidt, in 1945, agreed with Dunn's conclusion that maculata and punctata of Gray were not the same, but he noted Andersson's point that punctata was preoccupied and therefore introduced the new name Mabuya atlantica to replace punctata.[10] The next year, H. Travassos, disagreeing with Dunn and unaware of Andersson's and Schmidt's contributions,[24] considered both of Gray's names to be synonymous and restored the name Mabuya punctata for the Noronha skink.[25] He also considered Mabouya punctatissima and Trachylepis (Xystrolepis) punctata Tschudi, 1845, described from Peru, as synonyms of this species.[26] In 1948, he acknowledged the preoccupation of punctata noted by Andersson and accordingly retired Mabuya punctata in favor of Mabuya maculata, as Andersson had done.[27] The name Mabuya maculata remained in general usage for the Noronha skink in subsequent decades, though some have used Mabuya punctata, "not ... aware of the last nomenclatural changes."[20]
21st century
![Head of a lizard, seen from above and from the left. A single pentangular scale with three clear ridges is figured to the left. The text "Zoologie 3e partie, Pl. 22 C." is above the images.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Trachylepis_maculata_head.png/220px-Trachylepis_maculata_head.png)
In 2002, P. Mausfeld and D. Vrcibradic published a note on the nomenclature of the Noronha skink informed by a re-examination of Gray's original
In the same year, Mausfeld and others conducted a
In 2009, Miralles and others reviewed the taxon maculata and concluded that the animal now known as Trachylepis maculata also belongs in the African clade, but they were unable to determine whether or not it is indigenous to Guyana.[33] They also reviewed Trachylepis (Xystrolepis) punctata and replaced it with Trachylepis tschudii because the older name was preoccupied by Linnaeus's and Gray's punctata.[12] Although they were unable to resolve the identity of T. tschudii, which is still known from a single specimen, they believed that it is most likely the same species as the Noronha skink; it may be either a representative of an undiscovered Amazonian population of the latter or simply a mislabeled animal from Fernando de Noronha.[34]
Description
![Lizard, seen from the right, with its head bent to the right, on a rock](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Mabuya_maculata-001b.jpg/300px-Mabuya_maculata-001b.jpg)
The Noronha skink is covered with light and dark spots above, but there is substantial variation in the precise colors. There are no longitudinal stripes. The scales on the underparts are yellowish or grayish. The eyelids are white to yellow.[36] It has a small head with small nostrils, which are placed far to the front at the sides of the head. The mouth contains small and conical teeth and a thin but well-developed tongue. The eyes are small and placed laterally and contain dark, rounded irises.[37] There are three to five well-developed auricular lobules (small projections) in front of the ears; these lobules are absent in true Mabuya.[38] The hindlimbs are longer and stronger than the forelimbs, which are small. The tail is longer than the body and is muscular but very brittle. It is nearly cylindrical in form and tapers towards the end.[37]
In reptiles, features of the
Although there is substantial variation in measurements within the species, no discrete groups can be detected and it is not possible to separate the sexes unambiguously using measurements alone.[43] Among 15 male and 21 female T. atlantica collected in 2006, snout to vent length was 80.6 to 103.1 mm (3.17 to 4.06 in), averaging 95.3 mm (3.75 in), in males and 65.3 to 88.1 mm (2.57 to 3.47 in), averaging 78.3 mm (3.08 in), in females and body mass was 10.2 to 26.0 g (0.36 to 0.92 oz), averaging 19.0 g (0.67 oz), in males and 6.0 to 15.0 g (0.21 to 0.53 oz), averaging 10.0 g (0.35 oz), in females. Males are significantly larger than females.[44] In 100 specimens collected in 1876,[45] head length was 12.0 to 18.9 mm (0.47 to 0.74 in), averaging 14.8 mm (0.58 in); head width was 7 to 14.4 mm (0.28 to 0.57 in), averaging 9 mm (0.35 in), and tail length was 93 to 170 mm (3.7 to 6.7 in), averaging 117 mm.[41][fn 9]
Ecology and behavior
![Lizard, seen from above and behind, with its head bent to the left, sitting in a sunny spot surrounded by shadow, with the tail extending into the shadow. The upperparts are black and yellow.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Mabuia_%28Mabuya_maculata%29.jpg/300px-Mabuia_%28Mabuya_maculata%29.jpg)
The Noronha skink is very abundant throughout Fernando de Noronha,[35] even occurring commonly in houses,[48] and also occurs on the smaller islands that surround the main island of the archipelago.[49] Its abundance may be a result of the absence of ecologically similar competitors.[50] Apart from T. atlantica, the reptile fauna of Fernando de Noronha consists of the indigenous amphisbaenian Amphisbaena ridleyi and two introduced lizards, the gecko Hemidactylus mabouia and the tegu Tupinambis merianae.[2]
The species is found in several microhabitats, but most often on rocks.[47] Although predominantly ground-dwelling, it is a good climber.[51] Nothing is known about its reproduction except that skinks studied in late October and early November, during the dry season, showed little evidence of reproductive activity.[52] The Noronha skink is oviparous (egg-laying), like many Trachylepis,[11] but unlike Mabuya, which are all viviparous (giving live birth).[53]
Trachylepis atlantica is active during the day. Its body temperature averages 32 °C (90 °F), a few degrees higher than the environment temperature. During the day, body temperature peaks at up to 38 °C (100 °F) around midday and is lower earlier and later. In the early morning, the lizard may bask in the sun. During foraging, it spends about 28.4% of its time moving on average, a relatively high value for Trachylepis.[47]
A geologist who visited the island in 1876[54] noted that the skink is curious and bold:
While seated upon the bare rocks I have often observed these little animals watching me, apparently with as much curiosity as I watched them, turning their heads from side to side as if in an effort to be wise. If I kept quiet for a few minutes they would creep up to me and finally upon me; if I moved, they ran down the faces of the rocks, and turning, stuck their heads above the edges to watch me.[55]
Diet
![A darkly colored lizard on a rock, with a winged insect in its mouth](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Trachylepis_atlantica_eating.jpg/220px-Trachylepis_atlantica_eating.jpg)
The Noronha skink is an opportunistic omnivore[56] and "thrives on anything edible".[57] Analysis of stomach contents indicates that it mainly eats plant material, at least during the dry period,[58] but it also feeds on insects, including larvae, termites (Isoptera), ants (Formicidae), and beetles (Coleoptera).[44] Its prey is mostly mobile, rather than sedentary,[59] which is consistent with the relatively high proportion of time it spends moving.[60] Related skink species eat mostly insects, but island populations may often be more herbivorous. Animal prey averages 6.9 mm3 in volume, less than in most other Trachylepis.[58]
When the mulungu tree
Relationships with other species
![A few spiny branches with developing flowers on them. In the middle are five or more blowing flowers; they have an orange sac in the middle, surrounded by orange flower leaves, with a multitude of red strips on top.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Erythrina_velutina.jpg/220px-Erythrina_velutina.jpg)
The Noronha skink probably lacked predators before Fernando de Noronha was discovered by humans, but several species that arrived since do prey on it,
According to a 2006 study, the Noronha skink is infected by several parasitic worms, most frequently by the nematode Spinicauda spinicauda. Another nematode, Moaciria alvarengai, is much rarer. Other rare parasites include two trematodes—Mesocoelium monas and an undetermined species of Platynossomum—and an undetermined species of Oochoristica, a cestode.[67] S. spinicauda is usually only found in teiid lizards; it may have entered the archipelago when Tupinambis merianae, a teiid, was introduced to the island[68] in 1960.[67] Among nematodes, previous studies in 1956 and 1957 had only reported M. alvarengai and Thelandros alvarengai from the skink; the presence of S. spinicauda could explain the rarity of M. alvarengai and absence of T. alvarengai in Noronha skinks observed in 2006.[68]
Origin
![In the foreground, a wavy sea at the right and a yellow beach covered with black stones at the left. In the background, a mountain covered with green vegetation out of which towers a steep black rock.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Fernando_de_Noronha_Conceicao_Beach.jpg/240px-Fernando_de_Noronha_Conceicao_Beach.jpg)
Phylogenetic analyses using a variety of mitochondrial and nuclear genes places the Noronha skink among the tropical African species of Trachylepis,[69] a position also supported by morphological similarities.[70] It may have arrived on its island on rafting vegetation from southwestern Africa via the Benguela Current and the South Equatorial Current, which passes Fernando de Noronha.[71] This possibility was first suggested by Alfred Russel Wallace before 1888.[72] Mausfeld and coworkers calculated that the journey from Africa to Fernando de Noronha would take 139 days. Because this period seemed too long for the skink to survive, they proposed that the Noronha skink instead arrived via Ascension Island, where a skink may have persisted into historical times.[71]
The South American and Caribbean Mabuya skinks form a clade that appears to be derived from a separate colonization from Africa.[73] Both transatlantic colonization events are believed to have occurred within the last 9 million years.[74]
Conservation status
The reptile is thought to be stable in terms of population trends and not under any threat of extinction. However, the climate is rapidly changing, so this could change at any point in time. Although environmental changes do not affect the species in particular, the density of the species is at risk of decreasing should the environment change drastically as well as if tourism trends or more invasive animals are introduced. Additionally, the urbanization of surrounding areas to the lizards habitat could be detrimental, therefore
Notes
- ^ Preoccupied by Lacerta punctata Linnaeus, 1758 (=Lygosoma punctatum) and Tiliqua punctata Gray, 1839 (=Trachylepis atlantica).[6]
- ^ Sic. Included maculata Gray and Mabouya punctatissima O'Shaughnessy, 1872, as junior synonyms.[7]
- ^ In error; Mabuya maculata (currently Trachylepis maculata) is a species distinct from Trachylepis atlantica.[8]
- ^ Nomen novum (replacement name) for punctata Gray, 1839, not Linnaeus, 1758.[10]
- ^ a b Bauer, 2003, p. 5, corrected the generic name from Euprepis to Trachylepis, but did not explicitly use the name combination Trachylepis atlantica, which was first used by Ananjeva et al., 2006, p. 76.
- ^ Nomen novum for punctata Tschudi, 1845, not Linnaeus, 1758, or Gray, 1839; identity uncertain (see text).[12]
- new combinations(the first use of a given combination of a genus and species name) are indicated by a dash between the name combination and the authority which first used the combination. No dash is used when the name is entirely new.
- ^ Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, table 1, list the average tail length as 11 mm, an obvious error. The actual average tail length in Travassos's dataset[46] is 117 mm.
References
- ^ a b Colli, G.R., Fenker, J., Tedeschi, L., Bataus, Y.S.L., Uhlig, V.M., Silveira, A.L., da Rocha, C., Nogueira, C. de C., Werneck, F., de Moura, G.J.B., Winck, G., Kiefer, M., de Freitas, M.A., Ribeiro Junior, M.A., Hoogmoed, M.S., Tinôco, M.S.T., Valadão, R., Cardoso Vieira, R., Perez Maciel, R., Gomes Faria, R., Recoder, R., Ávila, R., Torquato da Silva, S., de Barcelos Ribeiro, S. & Avila-Pires, T.C.S. 2019. Trachylepis atlantica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T120689136A134890404. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T120689136A134890404.pt. Downloaded on 19 April 2020.
- ^ a b Rocha et al., 2009, p. 450
- ^ a b c Gray, 1839, p. 289
- ^ Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, p. 293; Bauer, 2003, p. 4
- ^ a b Gray, 1845, p. 111
- ^ Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, p. 293; Miralles et al., 2009, p. 57
- ^ a b Boulenger, 1887, p. 160
- ^ Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, pp. 292, 294
- ^ a b Burt and Burt, 1931, p. 302
- ^ a b Schmidt, 1945, p. 45
- ^ a b c Mausfeld et al., 2002, p. 290
- ^ a b Miralles et al., 2009, p. 57
- ^ Rocha et al., 2009, p. 450; Sazima et al., 2005, p. 2; Silva et al., 2005, p. 62; Sazima et al., 2005, p. 1
- ^ a b Carleton and Olson, 1999, p. 48
- ^ Schmidt, 1945, p. 45; Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, p. 292
- ^ Boulenger, 1887, pp. 160–161
- ^ O'Shaughnessy, 1874, p. 300.
- ^ Travassos, 1946, pp. 7–8.
- ^ a b c Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, p. 294.
- ^ a b c Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, p. 292
- ^ Bauer, 2003, p. 4
- ^ Dunn, 1935, pp. 535–536
- ^ Dunn, 1935, p. 536
- ^ Travassos, 1948, p. 201
- ^ Travassos, 1946, pp. 6–7
- ^ Travassos, 1946, pp. 7–8
- ^ Travassos, 1948, p. 206
- ^ a b c Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, p. 293
- ^ Mausfeld et al., 2002, p. 281
- ^ Whiting et al., 2006, pp. 720–721
- ^ Bauer, 2003, p. 5
- ^ Carranza and Arnold, 2003; Whiting et al., 2006
- ^ Miralles et al., 2009, p. 62
- ^ Miralles et al., 2009, p. 58
- ^ a b Carleton and Olson, 1999, p. 48; Rocha et al., 2009, p. 450; Gasparini et al., 2007, p. 31; Silva et al., 2005, p. 62
- ^ Dunn, 1935, p. 536; Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, p. 293; Finley, 1945, p. 164
- ^ a b Travassos, 1946, p. 8
- ^ Dunn, 1935, p. 536; Miralles et al., 2009, p. 57
- ^ Travassos, 1946, pp. 26–28; summarized in Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, table 1; nomenclature from Avila-Pires, 1995, pp. 9–10; Schleich et al., 1996, p. 372
- ^ Dunn, 1935, p. 536; Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, pp. 293–294; Miralles et al., 2009, p. 65
- ^ a b Travassos, 1946, pp. 26–28; summarized in Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, table 1
- ^ Greer et al., 2000, table 1
- ^ Travassos, 1946, p. 51
- ^ a b c Rocha et al., 2009, p. 454
- ^ Travassos, 1946, pp. 2–3
- ^ Travassos, 1946, pp. 26–28
- ^ a b c Rocha et al., 2009, p. 453
- ^ a b Silva et al., 2005, p. 62
- ^ Ridley, 1888b, p. 476
- ^ Rocha et al., 2009, p. 458
- ^ a b Sazima et al., 2005, p. 7
- ^ Rocha et al., 2009, pp. 452, 457
- ^ Mausfeld et al., 2002, p. 289
- ^ Branner, 1888, p. 861
- ^ Branner, 1888, pp. 866–867
- ^ a b c Silva et al., 2005, p. 63
- ^ a b c d Sazima et al., 2005, p. 2
- ^ a b Rocha et al., 2009, p. 457
- ^ Rocha et al., 2009, p. 455
- ^ Rocha et al., 2009, p. 456
- ^ Sazima et al., 2009, p. 26
- ^ Gasparini et al., 2007, p. 30
- ^ Gasparini et al., 2007, p. 32
- ^ Ridley, 1888a, p. 46
- ^ a b Silva et al., 2005, table 1
- ^ Silva et al., 2005, p. 63; Gasparini et al., 2007, p. 32
- ^ a b Ramalho et al., 2009, p. 1026
- ^ a b Ramalho et al., 2009, p. 1027
- ^ Whiting et al., 2006, pp. 721, 726; Mausfeld et al., 2002, pp. 282, 286; Carranza and Arnold, 2003, pp. 271, 281
- ^ Mausfeld and Vrcibradic, 2002, p. 294; Carranza and Arnold, 2003, p. 277; Miralles et al., 2009, fig. 6
- ^ a b Mausfeld et al., 2002, pp. 286–287; Carranza and Arnold, 2003, p. 281
- ^ Branner, 1888, p. 871
- ^ Whiting et al., 2006, pp. 724–729; Mausfeld et al., 2002, pp. 285–287; Carranza and Arnold, 2003
- ^ Carranza and Arnold, 2003, p. 281
External links
Literature cited
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