CIBED - - Snake-eyed Skink

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus Snake-eyed Skink Mōtukutuku ^MG

f.SCINCIDAE Skinks

Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus Snake-eyed Skink Mōtukutuku ^MG

f.SCINCIDAE Skinks

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesSnake‑eyed Skink ^EN

Local NamesP,?N^{RR,AT,AK,PL,MH} Mōtukutuku^MG Moko Kākāra^MK Moko^{MT,TNs,TNw,RK,PK,NS}

Pacific NamesNo Content

Sci. NamesCryptoblepharus poecilopleurus (accepted name) , Ablepharus, Cryptoblepharus boutonii, Cryptoblepharus boutonii poecilopleurus

High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Vertebrates, o.Snakes and Lizards, so.Lizards, f.Skinks - Lizard

High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.CHORDATA, sp.GNATHOSTOMATA, spc.TETRAPODA, c.REPTILIA, o.Squamata, so.Lacertilia, f.SCINCIDAE

Natl. PresencePresent

Sth. PresenceRR⁺⁺⁺MG^PAT^PMK^PMT^PAK^PPL^PMN?TK?

Nth. PresenceTN⁺⁺⁺⁺MH^PRK^PPK⁺⁺⁺⁺NS^PSW?

VouchersPK²⁰⁰⁴

Local OriginIntroduced; Polynesian; Naturalised

Global RangeNo Content

HabitatLand; Lowlands, Coastal

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesNo Content

IdentificationNo Content

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 4
Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5BC005_Cryp-poec_

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On leaf

On coconut trunk with head detail

Adult and head detail

On sand

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Snake-eyed Skink ^EN

Pacific Names

No Pacific Names

Local Names

P,?N^{RR,AT,AK,PL,MH} Mōtukutuku^MG Moko Kākāra^MK Moko^{MT,TNs,TNw,RK,PK,NS}

National Name: Mōtukutuku ^MG

Island	Status	Main name
National name	MG	Mōtukutuku
Rarotonga	+++	P,?N
Mangaia	P	Mōtukutuku
Ātiu	P	P,?N
Ma‘uke	P	Moko Kākāra
Miti‘āro	P	Moko
Aitutaki	P	P,?N
Palmerston	P	P,?N
Tongareva-write	++++	Moko
Tongareva-speak	++++	Moko
Manihiki	P	P,?N
Rakahanga	P	Moko
Pukapuka	++++	Moko
Nassau	P	Moko

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

Absent

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga	+++
Mangaia	Present
Ātiu	Present
Ma‘uke	Present
Miti‘āro	Present
Aitutaki	Present
Palmerston	Present
Manuae
Takūtea
Tongareva	++++
Manihiki	Present
Rakahanga	Present
Pukapuka	++++
Nassau	Present
Suwarrow

Note: S.Group all islands common; N.Group all islands common

Vouchers for:
Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 2004 2fs fieldspecimen fieldspecimen, 2/2004, common in near beaches and some in inland swamplands, G.McCormack with ID as Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus.

Nassau

Suwarrow

no data available

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

no data available

Threatened

no data available

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

no data available

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.04.03 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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Cook Islands Status Summary

Multimedia & Other Resources

Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Pacific Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

Accepted Name

Synonyms

National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Cook Islands Status Summary

Multimedia & Other Resources

Vernacular Names

Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus

Citation Information

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Vouchers for:
Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus