List of reptiles of Christmas Island explained

This is a list of the reptile species recorded on Christmas Island. At the time of human settlement in the late 19th century, the island had five native species of lizard and one native snake. However, additional species were introduced during the 20th century, resulting in dramatic declines in the island's native reptile populations.

Lizards

Christmas Island had five native lizard species at the time of human settlement, although the Christmas Island forest skink (Emoia nativitatis) is now considered extinct, and the blue-tailed skink (Cryptoblepharus egeriae) and Lister's gecko (Lepidodactylus listeri) are extinct in the wild. Three additional species were introduced during the 20th century.

!Common name!Scientific name!Notes!Red List!Ref
Christmas Island blue-tailed shining-skinkCryptoblepharus egeriaeendemic[1]
Christmas Island forest skinkEmoia nativitatisendemic, last known individual died 31 May 2014[2] [3]
Lister's geckoLepidodactylus listeriendemic[4]
Sadleir's bow-fingered geckoCyrtodactylus sadleiriendemic[5]
Coastal skinkEmoia atrocostatanative
House geckoHemidactylus frenatusintroduced by 1940[6]
Stump-tailed geckoGehyra mutilataintroduced after the mid-1940s
Grass skinkLygosoma bowringiiintroduced; first recorded around 1979

Snakes

Christmas Island has one endemic snake species, the Christmas Island blind snake (Ramphotyphlops exocoeti).[7] The flowerpot blind snake (Ramphotyphlops braminus) had been introduced to the island by 1940, and the Oriental wolf snake (Lycodon capucinus) was introduced in the 1980s.

!Common name!Scientific name!Notes!Red List!Ref
Christmas Island blind snakeRamphotyphlops exocoetiendemic[8]
Oriental wolf snakeLycodon capucinusintroduced; first recorded around 1987[9]
Flowerpot blind snakeRamphotyphlops braminusintroduced by 1940

Turtles

Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and, more rarely, hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) have been documented to nest on Christmas Island. Sea turtle nesting occurs on Dolly Beach, on a small area of sand above the high tide level, and occasionally at Greta Beach.

!Common name!Scientific name!Notes!Red List!Ref
Green turtleChelonia mydasnests on Christmas Island; considered uncommon[10] [11]
Hawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricatanests on Christmas Island; rarely documented[12]
Loggerhead turtleCaretta carettamay forage in waters off Christmas Island[13]
Leatherback turtleDermochelys coriaceamay forage in waters off Christmas Island[14]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hal Cogger GAA. GRA / Australian Museum. John Woinarski (Natural Resources. Environment and The Arts. Mitchell. Nicki. Emery. Jon-Paul. 2017-02-20. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Cryptoblepharus egeriae. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  2. Web site: Driscoll. Don. Cogger. Hal. Woinarski. John. Vale 'Gump', the last known Christmas Island Forest Skink. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210223132611/https://theconversation.com/vale-gump-the-last-known-christmas-island-forest-skink-30252. 2021-02-23. 2021-08-29. The Conversation. en.
  3. Web site: Hal Cogger (GAA. GRA / Australian Museum. John Woinarski (Natural Resources. Environment and The Arts. 2017-02-20. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Emoia nativitatis. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  4. Web site: Hal Cogger (GAA. GRA / Australian Museum. John Woinarski (Natural Resources. Environment and The Arts. Mitchell. Nicki. 2017-02-20. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Lepidodactylus listeri. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  5. Web site: Hal Cogger (GAA. GRA / Australian Museum. John Woinarski (Natural Resources. Environment and The Arts. Mitchell. Nicki. Wynn. Melissa. 2017-02-20. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Cyrtodactylus sadleiri. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  6. Web site: Ota. H. & Whitaker. 2009-06-30. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hemidactylus frenatus. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  7. Smith. Michael J.. Cogger. Hal. Tiernan. Brendan. Maple. Dion. Boland. Christopher. Napier. Fionnuala. Detto. Tanya. Smith. Peter. 10 September 2012. An oceanic island reptile community under threat: The decline of reptiles on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Herpetological Conservation and Biology. 10 September 2012. 7. 2. 206–218.
  8. Web site: Hal Cogger (GAA. GRA / Australian Museum. John Woinarski (Natural Resources. Environment and The Arts. Mitchell. Nicki. Ellis. Ryan. 2017-02-20. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Ramphotyphlops exocoeti. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  9. Web site: Guinevere Wogan (University of California. Berkeley). Museum). Tanya Chan-Ard (Thailand Natural History. 2011-09-01. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Lycodon capucinus. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  10. Web site: Seminoff. J. A. (Southwest Fisheries Science Center. 2004-04-30. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Chelonia mydas. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  11. Book: Beeton, Bob. Final report of the Christmas Island Expert Working Group to the Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts. Burbidge. Andrew. Grigg. Gordon. Harrison. Peter. How. Ric. Humphreys. Bill. McKenzie. Norm. Woinarski. John. 2010.
  12. Web site: Mortimer. J. A. & Donnelly. 2008-06-30. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Eretmochelys imbricata. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  13. Web site: Paolo Casale (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group / Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin. ” University of Rome “La Sapienza. Anton Tucker (Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. Sarasota. 2015-08-23. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Caretta caretta. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  14. Web site: Coordinator). Bryan Wallace (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle RLA. Group). Manjula Tiwari (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist. Group). Marc Girondot (IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specilaist. 2013-06-21. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dermochelys coriacea. 2021-08-29. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

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