CIBED - - Moth Skink - Mōtukutuku MG

Ornithuroscincus noctua Moth Skink Mōtukutuku ^MG

f.SCINCIDAE Skinks

Ornithuroscincus noctua Moth Skink Mōtukutuku ^MG

f.SCINCIDAE Skinks

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesMoth Skink ^EN

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

Pacific NamesNo Content

Sci. NamesOrnithuroscincus noctua (accepted name) , Scincus noctua, Lipinia noctua, Leiolopisma noctua, Lygosoma noctua

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⁺⁺MK^++?MT?AK?PL?MN?TK?

Nth. PresenceTN^P?MH?RK?PK⁺⁺NS?SW?

VouchersPK²⁰⁰⁴

Local OriginIntroduced; Polynesian; Naturalised

Global RangeNative: Indonesia - ?PNG; Introduced: Melanesia - Tuamotu, Hawai‘i;

HabitatLand; Lowlands, Coastal, Horticultural Zone; Uplands

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_Orni-noct_

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Adult & head detail

Adult (1) basking on rock

Adult (2)

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Moth Skink ^EN

Pacific Names

No Pacific Names

Local Names

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

National Name: Mōtukutuku ^MG

Island	Status	Main name
National name	MG	Mōtukutuku
Rarotonga	+++	P,?N
Mangaia	P	Mōtukutuku
Ātiu	++	P,?N
Ma‘uke	++?	Moko Kākāra
Miti‘āro		?P,?N
Aitutaki		Moko
Palmerston		?P,?N
Tongareva-write	P?	P,?N
Tongareva-speak	P?	P,?N
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: '#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: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff', 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	Present
Ātiu	++
Ma‘uke	++?
Miti‘āro
Aitutaki
Palmerston
Manuae
Takūtea
Tongareva	Present ?
Manihiki
Rakahanga
Pukapuka	++
Nassau
Suwarrow

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

Vouchers for:
Ornithuroscincus noctua

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 2004 1csP specimen+photo specimen+photo, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Lipinia noctua, to AuckMus LH2710 ID-confirmed B.Gill.

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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English and International Names

Pacific Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

Accepted Name

Synonyms

National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Ornithuroscincus noctua

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Ornithuroscincus noctua

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