Oligosoma smithi, commonly known as the shore skink, short-tailed skink, Smith's ground skink,[1] Smith's moco,[2] and Smith's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae (skinks) that is native to New Zealand.
Oligosoma smithi is small species of skink, growing to a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 8cm (03inches). It is well camouflaged, and may be found in a range of colours, sometimes almost black.
The species is native to the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand, occurring on the eastern coast from the Aupōuri Peninsula in the north south to Gisborne. Closely-related skinks on the western shore of the North Island and the Three Kings Islands were formerly considered members of this species, but are now known as tātahi skinks (Oligosoma aff. smithi "Three Kings, Te Paki, Western Northland").
It is always found near the shoreline and prefers open areas such as around driftwood at the high tide mark.[3]
Oligosoma smithi is diurnal (active during the day) and spends most of its time hunting or basking in the sun. It eats insects and probably anything that moves and fits in its mouth.
Like most New Zealand skinks, it is viviparous (reproduces by giving birth to live young).
As of 2012 the Department of Conservation (DOC) classified Oligosoma smithi as Not Threatened under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[4]
This species was first described as Mocoa smithii by John Edward Gray. The specific name, smithi, is in honor of Gray's nephew, British naval officer Lt Alexander John Smith, who collected the original specimens in the early 1840s, and presented them to his uncle at the British Museum.[5] After being placed in several other genera it was moved in 1995 to the genus Oligosoma, with all other New Zealand skink species.