Pacific Bluetail Skink

Names and classification

Scientific name

Emoia cyanura

Common names

Pacific Bluetail Skink

Family

Scincidae

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Historic

Origin

Introduced

Conservation status

Not assessed (Kauaʻi population extirpated)

Evidence limits

Current source set supports extirpation; any future verified detection would require reassessment.

Habitat and ecology

Habitats

Former localized lowland population in the Poʻipū/Moir Cactus Garden area; now extirpated.

Food and resource needs

Mostly arthropods and other small animal prey; some species also use nectar, fruit, or small vertebrates.

Reproduction

Species-appropriate egg-laying sites or live-bearing conditions; stable microclimate.

Shelter

Bark, foliage, rock, litter, crevices, walls, or woody debris depending on species.

Threats and conservation

Threats

No current Kauaʻi population; record is important for understanding introduction and disappearance dynamics.

Conservation actions

Early detection, containment/control where feasible, prevent intentional release or transport, protect high-value native habitats, and monitor ecological effects.

Monitoring

Maintain historical record; monitor only if re-detected.

Data gaps

Historical distribution and causal drivers of extirpation remain only partly resolved.

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal timing

Generally year-round in Hawaiʻi; local activity varies with temperature and moisture

Seasonal description

Pacific Bluetail Skink (Emoia cyanura) had a documented historical Kauaʻi population that is now considered extirpated.

Sources and further reading

• USGS / Oryx — Cryptic extinction of a common Pacific lizard, Emoia impar, from the Hawaiian Islands