---
title: "New Zealand Grass Skink"
description: "Oligosoma polychroma — Reptilien. The common skink (Oligosoma polychroma), also known as the northern grass skink, is a species of skink native to New Zealand."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/de/animal/new-zealand-grass-skink
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# New Zealand Grass Skink

> Oligosoma polychroma — Reptilien. The common skink (Oligosoma polychroma), also known as the northern grass skink,  is a species of skink native to New Zealand.

- Scientific name: *Oligosoma polychroma*
- Category: `reptiles` (Reptilien)
- Habitats: `grassland` (Wiese & Feld)
- iNaturalist observations: 3491
- Wikidata: [Q3350591](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3350591)
- iNaturalist taxon: [37864](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/37864)

## Names

- en: New Zealand Grass Skink

## Countries with the most observations

NZ (3263)

## Summary

The common skink (Oligosoma polychroma), also known as the northern grass skink,  is a species of skink native to New Zealand. Although historically classified as a subspecies of Oligosoma nigriplantare, it is likely to be given separate species status as data suggests it is a distinct species.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligosoma_polychroma

## Photo

![New Zealand Grass Skink](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/new-zealand-grass-skink/medium.jpg)

Photo: Jaco Grundling · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/21507992

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/new-zealand-grass-skink?lang=de` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).