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Woodworthia is a diverse genus of diplodactylid geckos found in Aotearoa/ New Zealand, with 17 likely species. Despite this diversity, only two species have been formally described: Woodworthia maculata (Gray, 1845) and W. chrysosiretica (Robb, 1980). In this paper, we use an integrated taxonomic approach to describe a new species of Woodworthia gecko, Woodworthia korowai sp. nov., found along the western coastline of the Auckland Region, New Zealand. Although this species occurs in duneland habitat behind a popular beach near New Zealands most populated city, it was only recognised as a distinct taxon in 2016. We describe W. korowai sp. nov. based on a suite of morphological character states and substantial genetic divergence, based on the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene, that distinguish it from W. maculata sensu stricto and all other known species of Woodworthia. Phylogenetic reconstruction and molecular dating place it sister to the W. maculata group, with an estimated time of divergence in the mid to late Pliocene. This gecko is one of the most geographically restricted of all Woodworthia geckos, occupying an area of less than 500 km2 within the Auckland Region. Its narrow range and coastal association make it susceptible to environmental and genetic stochasticity. Furthermore, the popularity and recreational usage of the dune system threaten its habitat. Therefore, we hope that this description will bring attention to the value of coastal environments and the unique and sensitive duneland of Te Korowai-o-Te-Tonga/ South Kaipara Peninsula and Te Oneone Rangatira/ Muriwai Beach in particular and encourage conservation efforts to protect this newly described species and its habitat.

Methodological and technological improvements are continually revolutionizing the field of ancient DNA. Most ancient DNA extraction methods require the partial (or complete) destruction of finite museum specimens, which disproportionately impacts small or fragmentary subfossil remains, and future analyses. We present a minimally destructive ancient DNA extraction method optimized for small vertebrate remains. We applied this method to detect lost mainland genetic diversity in the large New Zealand diplodactylid gecko genus Hoplodactylus, which is presently restricted to predator-free island and mainland sanctuaries. We present the first mitochondrial genomes for New Zealand diplodactylid geckos, recovered from 19 modern, six historical/archival (1898-2011) and 16 Holocene Hoplodactylus duvaucelii sensu latu specimens, and one modern Woodworthia sp. specimen. No obvious damage was observed in post-extraction micro-computed tomography reconstructions. All "large gecko" specimens examined from extinct populations were found to be conspecific with extant Hoplodactylus species, suggesting their large relative size evolved only once in the New Zealand diplodactylid radiation. Phylogenetic analyses of Hoplodactylus samples recovered two genetically (and morphologically) distinct North and South Island clades, probably corresponding to distinct species. Finer phylogeographical structuring within Hoplodactylus spp. highlighted the impacts of Late Cenozoic biogeographical barriers, including the opening and closure of Pliocene marine straits, fluctuations in the size and suitability of glacial refugia, and eustatic sea-level change. Recent mainland extinction obscured these signals from the modern tissue-derived data. These results highlight the utility of minimally destructive DNA extraction in genomic analyses of less well studied small vertebrate taxa, and the conservation of natural history collections., (© 2022 The Authors. Molecular Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The New Zealand endemic gecko genus Hoplodactylus is revised. Two species are recognized: Hoplodactylus duvaucelii (Duméril & Bibron, 1836) from the North Island and some near-shore islands, and H. tohu n. sp., which was formerly widespread throughout the South Island but is presently restricted to some islands in the Cook Strait region. H. delcourti (Bauer & Russell, 1986) is retained in Hoplodactylus sensu lato in the interest of taxonomic stability, pending further research, but is probably neither congeneric nor from New Zealand.

Comprehensive assessments of species' extinction risks have documented the extinction crisis 1 and underpinned strategies for reducing those risks 2 . Global assessments reveal that, among tetrapods, 40.7% of amphibians, 25.4% of mammals and 13.6% of birds are threatened with extinction 3 . Because global assessments have been lacking, reptiles have been omitted from conservation-prioritization analyses that encompass other tetrapods 4-7 . Reptiles are unusually diverse in arid regions, suggesting that they may have different conservation needs 6 . Here we provide a comprehensive extinction-risk assessment of reptiles and show that at least 1,829 out of 10,196 species (21.1%) are threatened-confirming a previous extrapolation 8 and representing 15.6 billion years of phylogenetic diversity. Reptiles are threatened by the same major factors that threaten other tetrapods-agriculture, logging, urban development and invasive species-although the threat posed by climate change remains uncertain. Reptiles inhabiting forests, where these threats are strongest, are more threatened than those in arid habitats, contrary to our prediction. Birds, mammals and amphibians are unexpectedly good surrogates for the conservation of reptiles, although threatened reptiles with the smallest ranges tend to be isolated from other threatened tetrapods. Although some reptiles-including most species of crocodiles and turtles-require urgent, targeted action to prevent extinctions, efforts to protect other tetrapods, such as habitat preservation and control of trade and invasive species, will probably also benefit many reptiles., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

New Zealand is home to a diverse cool temperate assemblage of skinks, with 60+ identified taxa (genus Oligosoma Girard), of which only 50 have been formally described. Here we describe a new species (Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov.) from Bream Head Scenic Reserve, near Whangrei Heads, Northland. This species is considered to be conspecific with a single specimen (Oligosoma Whirinaki) previously reported (in 2003) from Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tne Conservation Park ~370 km further south. Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other members of the genus by a combination of a distinctive teardrop marking below the eye, a distinctive mid-lateral stripe, and the colouration and pattern on its ventral surface. Our phylogenetic analyses indicate that Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov. is most closely related to O. zelandicum (Gray), and more distantly to O. striatum (Buller) and O. homalonotum (Boulenger). Sea level changes during the Pliocene, such as the formation of the Manawat Strait, may have contributed to the divergence between Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov. and O. zelandicum. We discuss the distribution, ecology and conservation of Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov., and outline future research and conservation priorities for the species.

New Zealand's diplodactylid geckos exhibit high species-level diversity, largely independent of discernible osteological changes. Consequently, systematic affinities of isolated skeletal elements (fossils) are primarily determined by comparisons of size, particularly in the identification of Hoplodactylus duvaucelii, New Zealand's largest extant gecko species. Here, three-dimensional geometric morphometrics of maxillae (a common fossilized element) was used to determine whether consistent shape and size differences exist between genera, and if cryptic extinctions have occurred in subfossil 'Hoplodactylus cf. duvaucelii'. Sampling included 13 diplodactylid species from five genera, and 11 Holocene subfossil 'H. cf. duvaucelii' individuals. We found phylogenetic history was the most important predictor of maxilla morphology among extant diplodactylid genera. Size comparisons could only differentiate Hoplodactylus from other genera, with the remaining genera exhibiting variable degrees of overlap. Six subfossils were positively identified as H. duvaucelii, confirming their proposed Holocene distribution throughout New Zealand. Conversely, five subfossils showed no clear affinities with any modern diplodactylid genera, implying either increased morphological diversity in mainland 'H. cf. duvaucelii' or the presence of at least one extinct, large, broad-toed diplodactylid species.

The New Zealand endemic gecko genus, Mokopirirakau, is notable for its ecology, with some species inhabiting extreme alpine environments, as well as for the large number of geographically circumscribed, species-level lineages awaiting formal description. In, 2018, a population superficially similar in colour and morphology to the black-eyed gecko (M. kahutarae) was discovered in alpine greywacke rock outcrops in the Oteake Conservation Park, North Otago, ~400 km south of the nearest M. kahutarae populations in the upper South Island. Genetic and morphological data indicate that this population is distinct, sister to a clade comprising M. granulatus and M. kahutarae. It can be distinguished from all but one Mokopirirakau species by colour pattern, and from M. kahutarae by smaller adult body size, eye and supraciliary characters, mouth and throat colour, ventral scale row count, tail length, toe shape, and lamellar count. Using an integrated taxonomic approach, we here formally describe this form as a new species, M. galaxias sp. nov., as well as discuss its ecology, likely distribution (particularly with respect to M. kahutarae), and potential conservation issues and requirements. Mokopirirakau galaxias sp. nov. should be considered "Threatened-Nationally Endangered" (qualifiers Data Poor) in the New Zealand Threat Classification System due to the low abundance and restricted known distribution, with potential threats from invasive predatory mammals and climate change. It should be considered Data Deficient in the IUCN Red List system.

A new species of Oligosoma is described from a slate scree in montane tussock grassland in Kahurangi National Park, New Zealand, where it is currently known from a single small site. The new species (Oligosoma kahurangi sp. nov.) can be distinguished from all congeners by its extremely long tail, 36-38 mid-body scale rows, head length/head width ratio of 1.66, and colour pattern. It is part of the O. longipes Patterson species complex. The species is currently very poorly known but likely to be highly threatened, and we suggest listing as Nationally Critical (Data Poor, One Location) in New Zealand, and Data Deficient in the IUCN red-list. Predation by introduced mammals, particularly mice, is assumed to be a threat to its survival.

We describe a new species of the New Zealand diplodactylid gecko genus Naultinus. Molecular phylogenetics and distinctive morphological features support taxonomic separation of the populations on the northern half of Aupori Peninsula in the far north of the North Island as a new species, Naultinus flavirictus sp. nov. The specific epithet refers to the diagnostic yellow colour at the corners of the mouth. We discuss the conservation status of and threats to this novel taxon and to Te Paki, Northland-the unique area of New Zealand where it is found. We further discuss the distribution and possible function of bright mouth colour within Naultinus.

The New Zealand diplodactylid gecko genus Toropuku is currently monotypic, but the sole member of the genus, T. stephensi, is distributed in two disjunct, geographically distant regions of New Zealand - the islands of Cook Strait (which includes the type locality, Stephens Island), between New Zealand's North and South Islands, and the Coromandel Peninsula, in the northeastern North Island. Previously published phylogenetic results, based on three total individuals, recognized substantial-possibly species-level-diversity between these disparate localities, although no taxonomic decisions were made at that time. More recently, additional animals have been found on the Coromandel Peninsula. We here present phylogenetic and morphological evidence based on this expanded dataset to formally describe the populations on the Coromandel Peninsula as a new species, Toropuku inexpectatus sp. nov. The specific epithet refers to the species' surprise discovery in a herpetologically well-surveyed area. The recognition of T. inexpectatus sp. nov. as a distinct species has implications for the conservation status of T. stephensi, which is now considered restricted to three islands in Cook Strait.

New Zealand has a diverse skink fauna, comprising 45 described native species, and at least 15 undescribed taxa, within the single genus Oligosoma Girard, 1857. One of the earliest described, and best known, species is the speckled skink, Oligosoma infrapunctatum (Boulenger 1887). Despite a relatively stable taxonomic history for nearly 114 years, recent molecular work has indicated that O. infrapunctatum represents a species complex, comprising numerous genetically divergent, range restricted taxa. We completed the first stage of a taxonomic revision of O. infrapunctatum, conducting a morphological re-evaluation of existing voucher material, and newly collected specimens, and generated a molecular phylogeny for the species complex. This allowed us to distinguish six species: O. infrapunctatum, two species resurrected from synonymy (O. newmani, O. robinsoni), and three new species (O. salmo sp. nov., O. albornense sp. nov. O. auroraensis sp. nov.). The name bearing type population of O. infrapunctatum has not been located again for at least 130 years: it remains to be rediscovered and may already be extinct. Two of the six species here are considered 'Nationally Critical' (O. albornense sp. nov., O. salmo sp. nov.) under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, the others are Nationally Vulnerable (O. auroraensis sp. nov.) and At Risk-Relict (O. newmani, O. robinsoni). Further taxonomic work will be required to determine the taxonomy of other speckled skink genetic lineages in the South Island, particularly O. aff. infrapunctatum "cobble", O. "Hokitika", O. "Southern North Island" and O. "Westport".

New Zealand has a diverse, endemic skink fauna, which is recognised as the most species rich skink assemblage of any cool temperate region on earth. All native New Zealand skink species are assigned to a single genus, Oligosoma Girard. A new species of Oligosoma is described from screes in montane tussock grassland in the mid-Canterbury high country, New Zealand, where it is currently known from four sites on two mountain ranges. The new species (Oligosoma hoparatea sp. nov.) can be distinguished from all congeners by a combination of mid-body scale row and lamellae counts, scale morphologies, and a bold striped pattern with smooth-edged, dark lateral bands. It is part of the O. longipes Patterson species complex, and occurs in sympatry with its closest relative, O. aff. longipes 'southern'. The species is currently highly threatened, and is listed as Nationally Critical in New Zealand. Predation by a suite of introduced mammals is assumed to be a major threat to its survival.

Although the New Zealand skink fauna is known to be highly diverse, a substantial proportion of the recognised species remain undescribed. We completed a taxonomic revision of the ornate skink (Oligosoma ornatum (Gray, 1843)) as a previous molecular study indicated that it represented a species complex. As part of this work we have resolved some nomenclatural issues involving this species and a similar species, O. aeneum (Girard, 1857). A new skink species, Oligosoma roimata sp. nov., is described from the Poor Knights Islands, off the northeast coast of the North Island of New Zealand. This species is diagnosed by a range of morphological characters and genetic differentiation from O. ornatum. The conservation status of the new taxon appears to be of concern as it is endemic to the Poor Knights Islands and has rarely been seen over the past two decades.

Clinal variation can result from primary differentiation or secondary contact and determining which of these two processes is responsible for the existence of a cline is not a trivial problem. Samples from a coastal transect of New Zealand geckos (Woodworthia maculata) identified for the first time a body size cline 7-10 km wide. The larger geckos are almost twice the mass of the small adult geckos. Clines in allele and haplotype frequency were found at two of the four genetic loci examined. Estimated width of the morphological cline was concordant with neither the narrower mtDNA cline (3-7 m) nor the wider nuclear cline (RAG-2; 34-42 km), and cline centers were not coincident. Although the body size cline is narrow compared to the entire range of the species, it is 2-3 orders of magnitude greater than estimates of dispersal distance per generation for these geckos. No evidence of assortative mating, nor of hybrid disadvantage was identified, thus there is little evidence to infer that endogenous selection is maintaining a hybrid zone. We cannot distinguish secondary contact from primary origin of this body size cline but conclude that secondary contact is likely due to the occurrence of mtDNA haplotypes from three distinct clades within the coastal transect and the presence of two frequency clines within this region.

We used a multi-gene approach to assess the phylogenetic relationships of New Zealand diplodactylid geckos to their Australian and New Caledonian relatives and to one another. Data from nuclear (RAG-1, PDC) and mitochondrial (ND2, 16S) genes from >180 specimens representing all 19 recognized New Zealand taxa and all but two of 20 putatively new species suggested by previous studies were analyzed using Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference. All analyses retrieved a monophyletic New Zealand clade, most closely related to the Australian Diplodactylidae exclusive of Pseudothecadactylus. Hoplodactylus is paraphyletic and composed of two morphological groups: a broad-toed clade, consisting of the island-restricted, largest extant species, Hoplodactylus duvaucelii, and the species-rich, wide-ranging Hoplodactylus maculatus clade; and a narrow-toed clade, comprising five monophyletic subgroups: Naultinus, the Hoplodactylus pacificus and Hoplodactylus granulatus clades, and the distinctive species Hoplodactylus rakiurae and Hoplodactylus stephensi. Each of these lineages is here recognized at the generic level. Our data support recognition of 16 new species (36 total), and five new or resurrected genera (seven total). The New Zealand diplodactylid radiation split from its Australian relatives 40.2mya (95% highest posterior density estimate 28.9-53.5), after the opening of the Tasman Sea. Their distribution cannot, therefore, be regarded as derived as a result of Gondwanana vicariance. The age of the New Zealand crown group, 24.4mya (95% highest posterior density estimate 15.5-33.8), encompasses the period of the 'Oligocene drowning' of New Zealand and is consistent with the hypothesis that New Zealand was not completely inundated during this period. Major lineages within New Zealand geckos diverged chiefly during the mid- to late Miocene, probably in association with a suite of geological and climatological factors that have characterized the region's complex history., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The terrestrial New Zealand fauna has developed on an ancient landmass of continental origins that has had an increasingly isolated existence since the late Mesozoic. As a continental remnant, New Zealand harbours survivors of many ancient lineages many of which were once far more widely distributed. But New Zealand's fauna also resembles that of an isolated archipelago: many higher taxa are missing; some have undergone extensive radiations in situ; and levels of endemism approach 100% in many groups. Ecologically, the fauna is characterized by frequent niche shifts, gigantism, and extended life histories with low reproductive rates, factors that make many species vulnerable to human disturbance. Data continue to amass supporting the ecophysiological as well as phylogenetic distinctiveness of the fauna. Described taxonomic diversity, even of terrestrial vertebrates, continues to increase., (Copyright © 1993. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)