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Sampling Techniques for New Zealand Lizards

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New Zealand Lizards

Abstract

The New Zealand lizard fauna is represented by two lineages (Diplodactylidae geckos and Eugongylinae skinks), of which all members are small to medium sized by global standards. Methods used to sample these lizards in the field are a subset of those available worldwide, but include some notable adaptions, novel designs and techniques originally developed for the detection and monitoring of pest mammals. This chapter describes current standard field methods (systematic searching, live trapping and artificial retreats) alongside less frequently used methods (adhesive traps, detector dogs, camera stations and footprint tracking), some of which are still under development or have restricted use. We also discuss the main methods used for individual identification of New Zealand lizards: temporary marking, toe-clipping and photo-identification. When coupled with a thorough understanding of lizard behaviour and ecology, these methods collectively permit effective sampling of the majority of the New Zealand lizard fauna. Arboreal species require further attention, as does the development of accurate, fast and ethically acceptable methods for permanent marking.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dylan van Winkel, Halema Jamieson, Les Moran and Mandy Tocher for their personal communications, Trent Bell and Les Moran for supplying photographs, Colin O’Donnell for the use of his unpublished data and Riki Mules and David Chapple for useful suggestions on an earlier draft of this chapter. Table 10.1 is derived, in part, from an article in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand (Lettink and Monks 2016).

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  1. Independent Ecologist, Fauna Finders, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Marieke Lettink

  2. Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Kelly M. Hare

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  1. Marieke Lettink
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Correspondence to Marieke Lettink .

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  1. School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    David G. Chapple

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Lettink, M., Hare, K.M. (2016). Sampling Techniques for New Zealand Lizards. In: Chapple, D. (eds) New Zealand Lizards. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41674-8_10

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