CR

Northern Dwarf Skink

Nannoscincus exos

Declining

Overview

Nannoscincus exos, the northern dwarf skink, is a species of skink found in New Caledonia.

Nannoscincus exos faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to mining activities and urban development across its extremely limited range in New Caledonia. The species' restriction to specific ultramafic substrates makes it particularly vulnerable to nickel mining operations that directly destroy its specialized habitat. Invasive plant species further degrade remaining habitat quality, while the small population size increases vulnerability to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic New Caledonian skink inhabits ultramafic soils and associated shrubland vegetation, typically found in areas with exposed lateritic substrates and sparse, specialized plant communities. The species appears to require specific microhabitat conditions associated with the unique mineral composition of ultramafic terrains.

Forest· major

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Northern Dwarf Skink classified as Critically Endangered?
Northern Dwarf Skink is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Nannoscincus exos faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to mining activities and urban development across its extremely limited range in New Caledonia. The species' restriction to specific ultramafic substrates makes it particularly vulnerable to nickel mining operations that directly destroy its specialized habitat. Invasive plant species further degrade remaining habitat quality, while the small population size increases vulnerability to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.
Where does Northern Dwarf Skink live?
Northern Dwarf Skink occurs in New Caledonia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Northern Dwarf Skink?
The main threats to Northern Dwarf Skink are 2.1, 5.3, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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