Systematic Studies on the Scincid Lizards of New Caledonia

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Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy by Publication (PhD)
Griffith School of Environment
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
My studies undertaken over the past 30 years have identified the existence of an exceptionally rich and highly diverse scincid lizard fauna in New Caledonia, one typified by regional and localised endemism at a level not indicated by earlier studies. The patterns of broad and finer-scale endemism revealed in the phylogenetic studies indicate a complex evolutionary history for the scincid lizard fauna, one which reflects the historical complexity of the island’s environment, and provides a window into the likely processes that shaped the present day biota. Further, it places the evolution of the New Caledonian lizard fauna in a broader regional context, identifying it as intimately linked with the endemic New Zealand skink fauna, and challenging current conventional theories of a recent post emersion Oligocene origin for the New Caledonia biota.