What are the native amphibians of New Zealand?

Answer 1

New Zealand NATIVE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS

New Zealand is home to relatively few groups of reptiles and amphibians. We have our

native Frogs (Leiopelma group), two species of Tuatara - Sphenodon punctatus and

Sphenodon guntheri, and two groups of lizards - the Geckos and Skinks.

There are some 20 species of Geckos and some 30 species of Skinks. These figures are

deliberately general as new species are still being discovered, and some long recognized

species are being split into separate species following DNA tests and other genetic

methods of profiling.

Please note that all New Zealand native reptiles and amphibians, and this includes all

geckos and skinks, are protected by law, and can NOT be collected from the wild without

written authorization from the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC). (N.B.

there are three introduced frogs in New Zealand - all Litoria species from Australia and

one introduced egg-laying skink - the Rainbow skink (Lampropholis delicata) also from

Australia, and these can be collected from the wild without restriction)

Geckos have thin soft velvety skin and a flattened body that is covered by small granular

scales. On the head, and especially at the edges of the mouth, these scales are often

larger. As the gecko grows it periodically sheds its skin in whole or in large pieces.

Geckos have a definite head and neck, which easily differentiates them from our native

skinks, which have shiny over-lapping scales and are much more streamlined, as well as

being much quicker in their movements than geckos.

Apart from the Egg-laying Skink (Oligosoma suteri), all New Zealand geckos and skinks

give birth to live young. This method of reproduction is called ovoviviparous, and is a

little unusual as the great majority of geckos throughout the world, and more than half of

the worlds skinks all lay eggs.

Geckos usually have twins, while skinks can have between two to eight babies depending

on the species. Generally, the larger the species, the more young are born. Babies are

born in summer or early autumn (January to May) but different species give birth at

different times of the year especially under captive conditions.

Young reach maturity at approximate three years of age, but size appears to be the main

determining factor in ability to mate. Some geckos in captivity that have been well fed

since birth have been known to mate when only two years old and produce viable

progeny, although many first births are single babies rather than the usual twins.

Little is known about the age to which geckos and skinks will live to in the wild, but the

New Zealand Herpetological Society has longevity records of animals in captivity, with

an Otago skink reaching 40 years, a maculatus gecko at 37 years, a Duvaucels gecko at

32 years, and various Forest geckos and Elegens elegans geckos at 25 years. Predation