CIBED - - Copper-tailed Skink

Emoia cyanura Copper-tailed Skink Mōtukutuku ^MG

f.SCINCIDAE Skinks

Emoia cyanura Copper-tailed Skink Mōtukutuku ^MG

f.SCINCIDAE Skinks

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesCopper‑tailed Skink ^EN Brown‑tailed Skink ^EN White‑bellied Skink ^EN , Blue‑tailed Skink ^EN

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

Pacific NamesNo Content

Sci. NamesEmoia cyanura (accepted name) , Emoia pheonura, Lygosoma arundelii, Scincus cyanurus

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⁺⁺⁺AT⁺⁺⁺MK^PMT?AK?PL?MN⁺⁺TK?

Nth. PresenceTN⁺⁺⁺⁺MH?RK?PK⁺⁺⁺⁺NS?SW?

VouchersMN¹⁹⁹⁷ PK²⁰⁰⁴

Local OriginIntroduced; Polynesian; Naturalised

Global RangeNative: se.Indonesia - Melanesia; Introduced: Micronesia and Southern Polynesia eastward to Marquesas and Pitcairn, absent Hawai‘i.;

HabitatLand; Lowlands, Coastal

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesNo Content

IdentificationNo Content

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 3
Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5BC005_Emoi-cyan_

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Typical showing eye spot (1)

Typical features identified

Rare bronze form (Pukapuka) ID Brian Gill

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Typical showing eye spot (1) (jpg)
Typical features identified (jpg)
Rare bronze form (Pukapuka) ID Brian Gill (jpg)

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Copper-tailed Skink ^EN Brown-tailed Skink^EN White-bellied Skink^EN [poor field feature] Blue-tailed Skink^EN [never has a blue tail]

Pacific Names

No Pacific Names

Local Names

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

National Name: Mōtukutuku ^MG

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

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: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', 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: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', 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: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', 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	+++
Ātiu	+++
Ma‘uke	Present
Miti‘āro
Aitutaki
Palmerston
Manuae	++
Takūtea
Tongareva	++++
Manihiki
Rakahanga
Pukapuka	++++
Nassau
Suwarrow

Note: S.Group - all islands; N.Group - all islands?

Vouchers for:
Emoia cyanura

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae _____ 1997 2fs fieldspecimen 1997-10, fieldspecimens, copper-tailed, several on Manuae G.McCormack with id as Emoia cyanura.

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 2004 1csP specimen+photo TYPICAL-form specimen+photo, 2/2004, common inland and in swamplands, G.McCormack with ID as Emoi cyanura, to AuckMus LH2713-4, 2715-20, ID-confirmed B.Gill; BRONZE-form 2 specimen+photo, Motu Ko (seen on Kotawa, but NOT on Wale), 2/2004, G.McCormack, to AuckMus LH2711-2 and ID B.Gill as bronze Emoia cyanura based on absence on medial scale fusion and thighs ventrally whitish (rather than dark).

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:
Emoia cyanura

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: Emoia cyanura

Citation Information

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Vouchers for:
Emoia cyanura