Delicate Skink

Names and classification

Scientific name

Lampropholis delicata

Common names

Delicate Skink · Plague Skink

Family

Scincidae

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Present

Origin

Introduced

Conservation status

Not assessed

Evidence limits

Occurrence is supported; local abundance and impact estimates remain less certain than presence.

Habitat and ecology

Habitats

Terrestrial lowland habitats including vegetation, leaf litter, rock, woody debris, and developed areas depending on species.

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

Potential competition with and predation on native terrestrial invertebrates; invasive range expansion is a concern.

Conservation actions

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

Monitoring

Repeat island occurrence surveys, population trend monitoring, and impact studies using standardized methods.

Data gaps

Current population distribution, abundance, and Kauaʻi-specific ecological effect sizes remain incompletely quantified.

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal timing

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

Seasonal description

Delicate Skink (Plague Skink) (Lampropholis delicata) is a documented established nonnative species on Kauaʻi.

Sources and further reading

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