Corucia zebrata - European Studbook Foundation

Studbook Breeding Programme
Corucia zebrata
(Prehensile tailed skink)
C.z.zebrata. Adult ‘Guadalcanal-type’ animal
Photo by S. Kuperus
Annual Report 2008
Studbook keepers: Siebren Kuperus and Kevin van Beerendonk
KvK nr. 41136106
www.studbooks.eu
Contents:
1.
Introduction
2.
Corucia zebrata: need for a studbook?
3.
Subspecies and localities
4.
Activities so far
5.
Activities to come
6.
Acknowledgements
Introduction
In the spring of 2008 a proposal was made to the board of the European
Studbook Foundation to start a studbook for the Prehensile tailed skink (Corucia
zebrata). Early summer this proposal was agreed upon and the studbook for this
species was officially founded. This first annual report describes the activities so
far and the difficulties in founding this studbook.
Corucia zebrata; need for a studbook?
Corucia zebrata is a slow reproducing species endemic to the Solomon Islands
(Indonesia). As of 2001 the species is placed on Appendix II of the CITES
convention, which resulted in a full stop in the import of legally wild caught
animals from their country of origin. Regardless of their endemism and their low
reproductive rate Corucia zebrata has not yet been listed on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened species.
Corucia zebrata is a very poorly understood species both in ecology and
taxonomy. Especially social structure and parental care are maters in which the
species differs greatly from other lizards, or even specifically skinks. For us to
be able to study these animals in captivity for years to come it is a logical
decision to manage its captive breeding by means of a studbook..
Male Corucia z. zebrata of unknown type (exceptionally large animal with very dark eyes) Photo by S. Kuperus
Subspecies and localities
The species Corucia zebrata is separated into two subspecies. The nominate;
C.z.zebrata and the subspecies C.z.alfredschmidti. The latter lives in the North
of their distribution on the Island Bougainville and is relatively easily
distinguished by an extra pair of pariental scales and the presence of bright
yellow eyes in an otherwise mostly green head. The animals that are being kept
and bred as Corucia zebrata zebrata however also vary greatly in appearance.
An article by Afred A. Schmidt (1998) suggests that the differences in size,
markings and colour correlate with the different Islands within the distribution
of this subspecies. In this article three different types within this subspecies are
mentioned. These three types correlate with the Islands; Isabel, Mailaita and
Guadalcanal.
If this distinction proves valid it would justify keeping these Island forms
separated within the studbook in order to try and keep these types (possibly new
subspecies?) pure. It is this that poses a lot of problems in preparation of the
studbook, more about this is explained under ‘activities’.
Currently the article by Schmidt (1998) is the only publication known about
these types, unfortunately the keys to determination are very vague. A
summarization of the characteristics of each Island type is given in the article by
means of a table. Table 1. shows the English translation of the original (German)
one.
Currently accepted subspecies of Corucia zebrata; C.z.alfredschmidti on the left (notice the bright yellow iris)
and an adult C.z.zebrata on the right (‘Guadalcanal type’)
Photos by S. Kuperus
Colour
Distribution
Bougainville
(C.z.
alfredschmidti)
Isabel
(C.z.zebrata)
Build
Eyes
Large but bright
not plump. yellow
Look
slender.
Head
Uniform
bright green.
Nose and chin
region often
yellow
Very large, dark Dull green to
heavily
brown olive. Throat
build
region often
more or less
yellow.
Mailaita
(C.z.zebrata)
Large,
heavily
build
dark
yellow
to
olive
Guadalcanal
(C.z.zebrata)
Not too
olive
large, look
more
“graceful
and
smaller”
Uniform olive
to ash green.
Throat region
often more or
less yellow.
Yellow over
rusty to
reddish brown.
Sometimes as
on the body
black scales
are scattered
over the head.
Body
Olive to
brown,
obvious
banding
Character
Hardly
aggressive,
often
curious
Most often
green to
olive, rarely
brown-grey.
Banding
usually is
very
pronounced.
Green to
olive, also
grey.
Banding
very
contrasting.
Very divers,
bright green
to greenbrown.
Banding
often only
very vague.
Often a lot
of scattered
black scales.
Docile,
lone
animals
often are
aggressive
Usually
both sexes
are very
aggressive
Very
docile, little
aggression.
Table 1. Characteristics distinguishing the four Island types of Corucia zebrata (translated from the German
article by Schmidt, 1998)
Activities so far
A studbook needs participants. Several Corucia keepers have been approached
and asked to participate in the studbook before the proposal was made to the
ESF board. All that were asked agreed on the necessity of a studbook and
claimed willing to participate. Since the officially start of the studbook in June
of 2008, unfortunately not all have replied by actually entering their animals but
we hope they will eventually.
Lots of difficulties have arisen when looking into the different Island forms
previously mentioned. If we are to keep these forms separated and thus pure we
would need to know how to tell these apart. The article by Schmidt (1998)
mentions some characteristics to label animals to different Islands. Although this
is the only known publication on this subject the mentioned key still leaves a lot
of room for error and is not conclusive to bring all animals to name.
Contact with a potential German studbook participant has learned that the first
DNA studies will soon be performed on several captive animals. It is wise to
start such a study now since a large proportion of the current Corucia population
in Europe still comprises of wild caught animals, ensuring purity of said
potential ‘Island forms’. Although exact geographic origin is often unknown
such a study could still be useful to label different types. Comparison to wild
animals, preferably of genuine tissue, otherwise by means of scale counts or
photographs of wild specimens of known localities. We will support this study
by all means possible.
We think it is best to await the said DNA study before we decide on the
studbook setup. This is the sole reason that no actual studbook overview can be
given at this point in time. We would however like to thank all that have entered
their animals for their cooperation. If more becomes clear these animals will of
course be gratefully be entered in the studbook.
Activities to come
Due to other obligations we were unable to attend the ‘Jahrestagung’ of the AG
Skinke (Workgroup Skinks) of the German society DGHT in the year 2008.
This year (October 2009) we will attend this meeting in order to propagate the
studbook and possibly requite more participants there.
A German participant has donated deceased animals to someone studying
genetic differences of mentioned ‘Island forms’. In 2009 we will eagerly follow
the outcome of this study and assist where possible.
In an attempt to eventually use DNA analysis to label captive animals to certain
Island types we have tracked down a large number of museum specimens (an
overview is given in Appendix I). We will try to obtain tissue samples from
specimens from well documented, known localities. These specimens could be
incorporated in the former mentioned DNA study or, if necessary, be the base
of a new study.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Peter Uetz (J. Craig Venter Institute), Tony Gamble
(University of Minnesota) Jan Grathwohl and Friso Veenstra in helping us find
the literature we needed. Special acknowledgements go out to Tariq Stark for his
contributions to this studbook. He puts a lot of effort in tracking down literature
and contacting researchers and curators for possible research samples. For this
we want to thank him.
Literature:
Adler,G.H.; Austin,C.C. & Dudley,R. 1995. Dispersal and speciation of skinks
among archipelagos in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Evolutionary Ecology 9: 529541 Bonetti, Mathilde 2002. 100 Sauri. Mondadori (Milano), 192 pp.
Brenneman, Rick A.; Engberg, S.E.; Shore, G.D. & Edward E. Louis Jr. 2007.
PRIMER NOTE: Characterization of 21 microsatellite marker loci in the
prehensile-tailed skink (Corucia zebrata). Molecular Ecology Notes 7:
1281ñ1283
Hauschild, A & P.Gaßner (1999)
Natur und Tier Verlag Münster
Corucia zebrata, Der Wickelschwanzskink,
Köhler, G (1997): Eine neue Unterart des Wickelschwanzskinkes Corucia
zebrata von Bougainville, Papua Neuguinea. – Salamandra, Frankfurt, 33 (1):
61-68.
Mann, S.L. & R. Meek (2004), Understanding the relationship between body
temperature and activity patterns in the giant Solomon Island Skink, Corucia
zebrata, as a contribution to the effectiveness of captive breeding programmes.
Applied Herpetology 1(3-4): 287-298.
Schmidt, A.A. 1998. Weitere Anmerkungen zur Rassenbildung und
Geschlechtsunterscheidung von Corucia zebrata. Elaphe 6 (2):
Schmidt, KP 1932. Reptiles and Amphibians from the Solomon Islands. Field
Mus. Nat. Hist. Zool. Ser. - 18 (9): 175-190
Appendix I
Number of Corucia zebrata specimens at divers collections
Institution
Location
California Academy of Sciences, Department of
Herpetology (CAS)
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Section of
Amphibians and Reptiles (CM)
California State University, Northridge, Department
of Biology (CSUN)
Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates (CU)
California,
USA
Pennsylvania,
USA
California,
USA
New York,
USA
Illinois,
USA
Kansas,
USA
California,
USA
Field Museum of Natural History, Amphibians and
Reptiles (FMNH)
University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History,
Division of Herpetology (KU)
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County,
Department of Ichthyology and Herpetology
(LACM)
Louisiana State University, Museum of Natural
Sciences (LSUMZ)
Museum of Southwestern Biology, Division of
Amphibians & Reptiles (MSB)
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ)
Louisiana,
USA
New Mexico,
USA
California,
USA
San Diego Natural History Museum, Department of California,
Herpetology (SDSNH)
USA
University of Colorado Museum, Zoology Section
Colorado,
(UMC)
USA
University of Nevada, Reno (UNR)
Nevada/
California,
USA
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of
District of
Natural History, Division of Amphibians and
Columbia,
Reptiles (USNM)
USA
University of Texas, Department of Biology
Texas,
USA
Yale University, Peabody Museum of Natural
Connecticut,
History, Vertebrate Zoology Division (YMP)
USA
Number of
specimens
5
1
5
2
23
2
19
3
1
4
10
2
5
15
10
3