ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt, ɐn ɐnˈæləsˌɪs ʌvðə mˈʌsəl pɹˈoʊtiːnz ˈæləzˌaɪmz ʌv ˈɛl. hˌæmɪltˈoʊni fɹʌm bˈoʊθ ˈaɪləndz ʃˈoʊd ɪnˈʌf dˈɪfɹənsᵻz ðætðə mˈɔːd ˈaɪlənd pˌɑːpjʊlˈeɪʃən wʌz dˈɛzɪɡnˌeɪɾᵻd ɐ sˈɛpɹət spˈiːsiːz, nˈeɪm ˈɛl. pˈeɪkkə fɹʌmðə mˈaʊɹi wˈɜːd fɔːɹ mˈɔːd ˈaɪlənd.
In 1998, an analysis of the muscle proteins (allozymes) of L. hamiltoni from both islands showed enough differences that the Maud Island population was designated a separate species, name L. pakeka from the Māori word for Maud Island.