Leptoseps

Abstract: -Two previously described lygosomine scincid lizards known from three specimens from Southeast Asia-Lartia aosellai Bhme, 1981 and Siaphos poilani Bourret, 1937-are described as a new genus, Leptoseps. The relationships of these two species and eight other species of limb-reduced lygosomine skinks from southeast Asia (genera Isopachys and Larutia) are analyzed cladistically. l erpetology, Vol. 31, No. 3, p . 393-398, 1997 997 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles In 1937 Bourret described the skink Siaphos (=Saiphos) poilani from Dong-Tam-Ve, Vietnam. He made no comparisons with other species. In 1981 Bohme described the skink Larutia osellai from Mea Kuong, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. He only compared it with four species of the southeast Asian "Sphenomorphus" larutensis species group (Greer, 1977) and placed all five species in a new genus, Larutia (type species: Lygosoma larutense Boulenger, 1900, by original designation). I have recently examined and compared the three known specimens of Bourret's (MNHN 1948.61-62) and Bohme's (Mus. Civ. St. Nat. Verona C.E. No. 35) two species (Fig. 1) and believe that they are each others' closest relatives. I further believe that they are distinctive enough to be accorded separate generic status. The purpose of this paper is to diagnose the genus and discuss its relationships.