Dasia grisea ( Gray, 1845 )

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 118-119

Dasia grisea ( Gray, 1845) — Native.

Tiliqua grisea Gray, 1845: 110 . Holotype: BMNH 1946.8 .20.51, by original designation. Type locality: “ Philippines ”.

Brown Tree Skink

( Figure 14D ; Lower Peirce Forest)

Singapore records.

Dasia cf. grisea —R. Subaraj et al., 1995: 4 (Golf Course Link [MNF]).—K. Lim, 1995: 18 (Nee Soon Swamp Forest).—R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 386 (Nee Soon East [NSSF]).— Davison, 2011: 110.

Dasia grisea —K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 149.—K.K.P. Lim et al., 2008: 265.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 84, 160.— Das, 2010: 230.—L.L. Grismer, 2011b: 547, 548.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 84, 160.— Groenewoud, 2014b: 227, 228 (Bukit Kalang [SRF]; Venus Drive [WNP].—I.S. Law, I.T. Law & Groenewoud, 2016: 145 (“access road to Upper Peirce Reservoir Park” [UPRR]).— M.F.C. Ng, 2017b: 162 (Venus Loop [WNP]).—N. Baker, 2019: 151, 152 (Old Upper Thomson Road; Thomson Nature Park).—R.C.H. Teo & Thomas, 2019: 147, 158, 180 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve).—N. Baker, 2020a: 13 (Lorong Pelita [TNP]).—N. Kim, 2020c: 151 (Upper Seletar Reservoir Park).— Janssen & Sy, 2022: 104, 164.

Remarks. Dasia grisea is a rather uncommon and cryptic species that was first detected in Singapore on 13 July 1994 when a single individual was observed on a tree at Golf Course Link in MacRitchie (Subaraj et al. 1995). Figueroa et al. (2020) reviewed all records of D. grisea from Singapore and reported new records from CNP and SF. At the time of writing, Figueroa et al. (2020) established that there was a total of 19 records of D. grisea from Singapore. Adding ZRC.2.3705 (collected from Night Safari on 30 June 1998), Figure 14 D (photographed at LPF on 28 January 2017; I.S. Law pers. comm.), and one documented being eaten by an Ahaetulla prasina at USRP on 2 January 2020 ( Kim 2020c), brings the total number of records to 22. Figueroa et al. (2020) elucidated that D. grisea is an arboreal species that possibly inhabits forest canopies and can be found on trunks of large trees that provide suitable escape routes (e.g., cavities, exfoliating bark).

Occurrence. Restricted to CNR and surrounding Nature Parks and forests. Uncommon.

Singapore conservation status. Vulnerable.

Conservation priority. Highest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2021].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Night Safari : ZRC.2.3705 (30-Jun-1998); Upper Peirce Reservoir Road : ZRC.2.7227 (27-Aug-2016) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. No specimens.

Singapore localities. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve—Chestnut Nature Park—Lower Peirce Forest—MacRitchie North Forest—Nee Soon Swamp Forest—Night Safari—Old Upper Thomson Road—Sime Road Forest— Springleaf Forest—Thomson Nature Park—Upper Peirce Reservoir Road—Upper Seletar Reservoir Park—Windsor Nature Park.

Figures

FIGURE 14. A) Hemiphyllodactylus typus, B) Lepidodactylus lugubris, C) Iguana iguana, D) Dasia grisea, E) Dasia olivacea, F) Emoia atrocostata, G) Eutropis multifasciatus, and H) Eutropis rugifera. Photographs by: Alex Figueroa [A, G], Holly Siow [B], Kelvin K.P. Lim [C], Law Ing Sind [D, H], Chloe Tan [E], and Nick Baker [F].