Bluetail Mole Skink (Eumeces egregius lividus), Sand Skink (Neoseps reynoldsi) %-Year Revies: Summary and Evaluation

摘要

The 1999 MSRP contains objective measurable criteria that reflect the best available and most up-to-date information on the biology of the species and its habitat and addresses all three of the listing factors relevant to the species. Because bluetail mole skinks and sand skinks are fossorial, they are hard to find and difficult to research. They typically live in xeric uplands with sandy soils, such as scrub, turkey oak barrens, and sandy areas of the high pine community. Except for a few locations, we have little information about the status and trends of these skinks. Of the 23 locations on which the bluetail mole skink occurs, 12.5 are protected and,as of2004, 10 were managed. Ofthe 73 locations on which sand skinks are reported, 38.5 are protected and, as of2004, 27 were managed (Turner et al. 2006). Bluetail mole skinks seem to be underrepresented in the network of protected public lands (Turner et aL 2006). Skink populations are patchily distributed on the landscape, and distribution is clumped (Gianopulos et al. 2001). An analysis of spatial distribution of sand skinks indicates that there is an edge effect on distribution on isolated sites (Gianopulos 2001, Mushinsky et aL 2001). Microhabitat conditions including depth of loose surface sand, percent of bare sand, soil particle size, and tinle since fire were found to be important factors in habitat suitability and could determine local distributions (Collazos 1998, Christman 2005).