Kathy and I found this on the track by Lonely Lake at around 11.30pm while walking back to the hut after doing night data collection on the Kahurangi skink
In a lizard ACO. Limestone outcrop. Gave off a terrible pong when being handled for photographs.
Found under rock within grassland on river flat.
Considering the number of nursery webs up the hill, I suppose it was likely I'd encounter an adult at some point. At least I think it is this species. This one was down the bottom of the gully, near the stream, in a small grassed clearing in the Kanuka.
Southern grass skink (O. aff. polychroma Clade 5)
Mokopirirakau "Southern Forest" or Tautuku gecko. Male. In mixed podocarp forest. Assisting Mr Knox.
Mokopirirakau "Southern Forest" or Tautuku gecko. Female. Gravid with developed embryos. In mixed podocarp forest. Assisting Mr Knox.