Hidden in plain sight: meet Australia’s newly identified skink species

A lizard known to Wiimpatja Aboriginal Owners as Kungaka, “the Hidden One,” has been formally described as a new species in research published today in Zootaxa.

With fewer than 20 individuals known, it is now among Australia’s most threatened reptiles and confined to Mutawintji National Park in New South Wales.

Key Points

Through a partnership with Wiimpatja Aboriginal Owners and the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, scientists from the Australian Museum Research Institute  have confirmed that the Kungaka (Liopholis mutawintji) is a distinct species.

The skink is found only in Mutawintji National Park, north-east of Broken Hill, in NSW. The research, published in Zootaxa, has reclassified the Kungaka from what was previously considered an isolated population of the widespread White’s Skink (Liopholis whitii) to a separate species with an extremely limited distribution.

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe framed the announcement as both significant and urgent for conservation policy, noting that discovery underscores the need to protect at-risk species across rugged landscapes such as Mutawintji’s gorges.

“Our conservation efforts are helping identify at-risk species to ensure we act quickly to secure their future,” Ms Sharpe said.

“Our conservation efforts are helping identify at-risk species”

— Penny Sharpe

Curator, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Biology at the Australian Museum and UNSW Sydney, Dr Jodi Rowley, said the findings highlight the importance of close collaboration between First Nations Custodians, scientific institutions and government departments.

“With potentially fewer than 20 individuals remaining, the Kungaka stands on the brink of extinction,” Dr Rowley said.

“Their survival depends on sustained, long-term collaborative partnerships, and continued monitoring and evaluation. Working with our colleagues, Wiimpatja Aboriginal Owners and NSW Government has delivered the important first step in its continued existence.”

Lead author of the paper, Australian Museum researcher Tom Parkin, said the scientific description of the Kungaka is just the first step.

“The Kungaka represents an ancient lineage that likely originated early on in Australia’s history when the environment was quite different,” he said.

“Today, it survives in a tiny, isolated pocket of sheltered gorge in Mutawintji. Through this research, we not only better understand a species, but also the history behind the surrounding environment.”

Cultural connection and custodianship

For Wiimpatja, the Kungaka is deeply connected to people, Country and culture, Warlpa Thompson, of the Mutawintji Board of Management.

“Our people have been leading the way for looking after this extremely rare lizard. Now that it’s about to be given the name Kungaka, the Hidden One, in Wiimpatja parlku, the world will soon know how special they are,” Mr Thompson said.

“The Mutawintji Board of Management and NPWS will continue to build on the work that has already been done, but given that Kungaka are on the verge of extinction, we are seeking further support to create an in-Country sustainable solution.”

Scientific analysis and lineage

The research team determined that the Kungaka is a distinct species following genetic analysis and examination of variation across the broad distribution of similar skinks.

The analysis established that what was once treated as an isolated population of White’s Skink is, in fact, one of three distinct species. The Kungaka is the only one restricted to Mutawintji and is located around 500 km from its closest relatives. The species persists in a tiny pocket of humid, rocky habitat surrounded by hot saltbush and gibber plains.

Threats and conservation challenges

Feral goats have been identified as a key threat to the Kungaka’s survival. Overgrazing and trampling degrade local habitat, reducing food availability and shelter, and exposing lizards to predators and extreme temperatures. Introduced predators, particularly cats and foxes, compound the risk to the small population.

Climate change is intensifying heat and drought across the region, which further stresses the Kungaka’s limited, humid refuge. With an already tiny known population, additional environmental pressures heighten extinction risk and constrain opportunities for recovery without targeted management and protection.