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Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus

Mōtukutuku (MG)

Snake-eyed Skink

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Image:	Adult and head detail (1)	58KB
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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Snake-eyed Skink

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Mōtukutuku (MG), Moko Kākāra (MK), Moko (MT TS TW RK PK NS)

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Polynesian, Naturalised; S.Group all islands common; N.Group all islands common; Land, coastal

Enlarged Image of 'Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
+++	P	P	P	P	P	P

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
++++	P	P	++++	P

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (Wiegmann, 1834)
SYNONYMS: Cryptoblepharus boutonii poecilopleurus; Cryptoblepharus boutonii; Ablepharus

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); TETRAPODA; REPTILIA; Squamata; Lacertilia; SCINCIDAE

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Pukapuka: fieldspecimens, 2/2004, common in near beaches and some in inland swamplands, G.McCormack with ID as Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus.

References:
None recorded.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zupM06b

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
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