Taxonomic Revision of the New Zealand Copper Skink (Cyclodina aenea: Squamata: Scincidae) Species Complex, with Descriptions of Two New Species

Abstract

We completed a taxonomic revision for the New Zealand Copper Skink (Cyclodina aenea) species complex using morphological and molecular data. Two new species are described on the basis of several morphological characteristics, with the specific status of each species supported by mitochondrial sequence data (ND2). We also redescribe C. aenea. One of the new species is restricted to the Poor Knights Islands, whereas the distribution of the other new species is limited to northernmost region of Northland. Both new species exhibit significant genetic divergence from C. aenea (∼13.5% sequence divergence), indicating that each species has evolved in isolation from C. aenea for a substantial period of time.