A new record of the Christmas Island Blind Snake, Ramphotyphlops exocoeti (Reptilia: Squamata: Typhlopidae)

Maple, Dion; Barr, Rachel; Smith, Michael J.

doi:10.18195/issn.0312-3162.27(2).2012.156-160

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Notably, that assessment did not attribute causality to a single factor or set of factors, and hence the driver(s) for the collapse of the reptile community remains uncertain. As there are few records of the Christmas Island blind snake ( Ramphotyphlops exocoeti ) (Maple, Barr, & Smith, 2012) we focus here on the decline of endemic lizards, and the factors that may have contributed to their declines.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The lost lizards of Christmas Island: A retrospective assessment of factors driving the collapse of a native reptile community

Emery

Mitchell

Cogger

et al. 2021

Conservat Sci and Prac

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Until recently, the reptile fauna of Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean comprised five endemic species (two skinks, two geckos, and one snake) and one native, non‐endemic skink. Four of these species were common and widespread until at least 1979, but by 2012 had disappeared from the wild. During the years of decline, little research was undertaken to examine why the species were disappearing. Here, we use a retrospective expert elicitation to rank potential factors that contributed to the loss of Christmas Island's reptiles and to assess the likelihood of re‐establishing populations of two species now listed as Extinct in the Wild. We additionally considered why one endemic lizard, the Christmas Island giant gecko (Cyrtodactylus sadleiri), and three introduced lizards remain common. Experts considered that the introduced common wolf snake (Lycodon capucinus) was the most likely cause of decline, as its temporal and spatial spread across the island closely matched patterns of lizard disappearances. An Asian co‐occurrence in recent evolutionary timeframes of the common wolf snake with the Christmas Island giant gecko and three introduced reptiles was the most marked point of difference between the extant and lost lizard species. The demise in less than 20 years of 80% of Christmas Island's native lizard assemblage highlights the vulnerability of island fauna to invading species.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The lost lizards of Christmas Island: A retrospective assessment of factors driving the collapse of a native reptile community

Emery

Mitchell

Cogger

et al. 2021

Conservat Sci and Prac

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, two individuals were recorded in 1958 and two more were collected in the mid-1980s (Eldridge et al 2014), although it has not been reported since. The Christmas Island blind snake Ramphotyphlops exocoeti has been reliably recorded only six times since 1901, and only once since 1986 (Maple et al 2012). In 2004 one of the Christmas Island jewel weevils, Rhyncolobus rossi, was 'rediscovered' when a single specimen was collected for the first time since Andrew's original collection in 1897-98 (Surman 2004).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Endemic species of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean

James¹,

Green²,

Humphreys³

et al. 2019

Rec West Aust Mus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many oceanic islands have high levels of endemism, but also high rates of extinction, such that island species constitute a markedly disproportionate share of the world's extinctions. One important foundation for the conservation of biodiversity on islands is an inventory of endemic species. In the absence of a comprehensive inventory, conservation effort often defaults to a focus on the better-known and more conspicuous species (typically mammals and birds). Although this component of island biota often needs such conservation attention, such focus may mean that less conspicuous endemic species (especially invertebrates) are neglected and suffer high rates of loss.

show abstract

“…Although there are only six records of the blind snake since 1910 (Maple et al, 2012), the five lizards were generally common until at least 1979 (Cogger et al, 1983). Declines of the blue-tailed skink were first reported in 1992 (Rumpff, 1992) and of the forest skink, coastal skink and Lister's gecko in 1998 (Cogger & Sadlier, 1999), with ongoing declines reported between 2004 and 2008 (James, 2004; Schulz & Barker, 2008).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Somewhat saved: a captive breeding programme for two endemic Christmas Island lizard species, now extinct in the wild

Andrew

Cogger

Driscoll

et al. 2016

Oryx

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As with many islands, Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean has suffered severe biodiversity loss. Its terrestrial lizard fauna comprised five native species, of which four were endemic. These were abundant until at least the late 1970s, but four species declined rapidly thereafter and were last reported in the wild between 2009 and 2013. In response to the decline, a captive breeding programme was established in August 2009. This attempt came too late for the Christmas Island forest skink Emoia nativitatis, whose last known individual died in captivity in 2014, and for the non-endemic coastal skink Emoia atrocostata. However, two captive populations are now established for Lister's gecko Lepidodactylus listeri and the blue-tailed skink Cryptoblepharus egeriae. The conservation future for these two species is challenging: reintroduction will not be possible until the main threats are identified and controlled.

show abstract

A new record of the Christmas Island Blind Snake, Ramphotyphlops exocoeti (Reptilia: Squamata: Typhlopidae)

Cited by 7 publications

References 5 publications

The lost lizards of Christmas Island: A retrospective assessment of factors driving the collapse of a native reptile community

The lost lizards of Christmas Island: A retrospective assessment of factors driving the collapse of a native reptile community

Endemic species of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean

Somewhat saved: a captive breeding programme for two endemic Christmas Island lizard species, now extinct in the wild

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About