Alpine cool-skink

Alpine cool-skink
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Carinascincus
Species:
C. greeni
Binomial name
Carinascincus greeni
(Rawlinson, 1975)
Synonyms[2]

The alpine cool-skink (Carinascincus greeni),[2] also known commonly as the northern snow skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to Tasmania, Australia where it mainly occurs within the north of the state. [3]

Etymology

The specific name, greeni, is in honor of Tasmanian ornithologist Robert "Bob" Green.[4]

Classification

This species was previously known as Niveoscincus greeni, however has since been reclassified as Carinascincus, along with several other species within the Niveoscincus genus.

Description

Carinascincus greeni is an alpine skink which has small dark scales with pale green to bronze coloured spots. The head is sometimes paler than the body, with larger spots. [5][6] C. greeni has been found to grow up to 95mm in length, with midbody scales in 39-44 rows around the body. [7][8]

Habitat and Distribution

Carinascincus greeni is skink species endemic to alpine areas of Tasmania above 1000 meters of elevation. [10] They are mostly observed around Cradle Mountain and the central plateau, however they are found as far east as Ben Lomond National Park and as far south as Mt Field. [11]

They are restricted to rocky banks of streams and swamps, as well as boulder fields where they can often be found basking. [12] Where they co-occur with other species within the same genus such as Carinascincus microlepidotus, C. greeni has been found to competitively exclude them from the optimal basking spots of exposed rocks and boulders. [13]

Reproduction

Carinascincus. greeni has adapted to the cooler climate of high altitudes by evolving viviparity, retaining their eggs during the gestation process and giving birth to live young. [14] Retaining their eggs during gestation is what has allowed C. greeni to protect their eggs from the rapid changes in temperature they would otherwise be exposed to in the alpine environments they inhabit.[15] This skink species gives birth to a litter of 2-4 young around March, and only reproduces biannually; females can store sperm over the winter and fertilize their eggs during spring. [16]

Threats

Carinascincus greeni is listed as vulnerable under the IUCN Red List, with the main threat being climate change, which is likely to reduce the extent of cool habitats the species relies on.[17] In addition, climate change may cause lowland skink species such as Carinascincus metallicus and Carinascincus ocellatus to encroach on the limited habitat that C. greeni occupies. [18] This threat is compounded by the fact that these lowland species reproduce annually instead of biannually like C. greeni. [17]

References

  1. ^ Chapple, D.G.; Robertson, P.; Michael, D.; Clemann, N.; Wapstra, E. (2017). "Carinascincus greeni ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017 e.T109480598A109480609. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T109480598A109480609.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Carinascincus greeni at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
  3. ^ Melville, Jane (May 2002). "Competition and character displacement in two species of scincid lizards". Ecology Letters. 5 (3): 386–393. doi:10.1046/j.1461-0248.2002.00328.x. ISSN 1461-023X.
  4. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Niveoscincus greeni, p. 107).
  5. ^ "Carinascincus greeni ALPINE COOL-SKINK". reptilesofaustralia.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  6. ^ "Northern Snow Skink | Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania". nre.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  7. ^ "Two new lizard species from the genus Leiolopisma (Scincidae: Lygosominae) in southeastern Australia". Museums Victoria. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.1975.36.01. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  8. ^ "Northern Snow Skink | Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania". nre.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  9. ^ Australia, Atlas of Living. "Species: Carinascincus greeni (Alpine Cool-Skink)". bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
  10. ^ Melville, J; Swain, R (1999). "Habitat associations and natural history of the Tasmanian "snow skinks" (Niveoscincus spp.)". Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania: 57–64. doi:10.26749/rstpp.133.1.57. ISSN 0080-4703.
  11. ^ "Northern Snow Skink | Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania". nre.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
  12. ^ "Two new lizard species from the genus Leiolopisma (Scincidae: Lygosominae) in southeastern Australia". Museums Victoria. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.1975.36.01. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
  13. ^ Melville, J; Swain, R (1999). "Habitat associations and natural history of the Tasmanian "snow skinks" (Niveoscincus spp.)". Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania: 57–64. doi:10.26749/rstpp.133.1.57.
  14. ^ Van Dyke, James U.; Thompson, Michael B.; Burridge, Christopher P.; Castelli, Meghan A.; Clulow, Simon; Dissanayake, Duminda S. B.; Dong, Caroline M.; Doody, J. Sean; Edwards, Danielle L.; Ezaz, Tariq; Friesen, Christopher R.; Gardner, Michael G.; Georges, Arthur; Higgie, Megan; Hill, Peta L. (2021-10-14). "Australian lizards are outstanding models for reproductive biology research". Australian Journal of Zoology. 68 (4): 168–199. doi:10.1071/ZO21017. ISSN 0004-959X.
  15. ^ Atkins, Natalia; Swain, Roy; Jones, Susan M. (July 2007). "Are babies better in autumn or spring? The consequences of extending gestation in a biennially reproducing viviparous lizard". Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology. 307A (7): 397–405. doi:10.1002/jez.394. ISSN 1932-5223.
  16. ^ "Northern Snow Skink | Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania". nre.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  17. ^ a b IUCN (2017-06-12). Niveoscincus greeni: Chapple, D.C, Robertson, P., Michael, D., Clemann, N. & Wapstra, E.: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T109480598A109480609 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2017-3.rlts.t109480598a109480609.en. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  18. ^ "Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. (2023). Conservation advice for Carinascincus microlepidotus (southern snow skink). Australian Government" (PDF).

Further reading

  • Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN 978-0643100350. (Carinascincus greeni, p. 427).
  • Hutchinson MN, Donnellan SC, Baverstock PR, Krieg M, Simms S, Burgin S (1990). "Immunological relationships and generic revision of the Australian lizards assigned to the genus Leiolopisma (Scincidae: Lygosominae)". Australian Journal of Zoology 38 (5): 535–554. (Niveoscincus greeni, new combination).
  • Rawlinson PA (1975). "Two new lizard species from the genus Leilopisma (Scincidae: Lygosominae) in southeastern Australia". Memoirs of Museum Victoria 36: 1–15. (Leiolopisma greeni, new species).
  • Wilson S, Swan G (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. ISBN 978-1921517280. (Niveoscincus greeni).
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