Lipinia

Abstract: We provide an integrative taxonomic analysis of the Lipinia vittigera species complex from mainland Southeast Asia. Based on examination of external morphology, color pattern, and 681 base pairs of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial gene, we demonstrate the presence of four morphologically distinct lineages of Lipinia in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia, showing a sequence divergence ranging 15.5%–20.4%. All discovered lineages are discretely diagnosable from one another by a combination of scalation traits and color patterns. A review of the published distribution data and a re-examination of available type material revealed the following results: (1) distribution of L. vittigera (Boulenger, 1894) sensu stricto is restricted to Sundaland and the Thai-Malay Peninsula south of the Isthmus of Kra; (2) L. microcercus (Boettger, 1901) stat. nov. is elevated to full species rank; the species has a wide distribution from central and southern Vietnam across Cambodia to eastern Thailand; we regard Lygosoma vittigerum kronfanum Smith, 1922 and Leiolopisma pranensis Cochran, 1930 as its junior synonyms; (3) Lipinia trivittata sp. nov. occurs in hilly areas of southern Vietnam, Cambodia, and eastern Thailand; and (4) Lipinia vassilievi sp. nov. is currently known only from a narrow area along the Vietnamese-Cambodian border in the foothills of the central Annamite Mountain Range. We further provide an identification key for Lipinia occurring in mainland Southeast Asia.

Abstract: A small lygosomine skink, from tropical rain forests of southern Vietnam, differs primarily from other Asiatic scincids in having a double rows of subdigital pads. There are presumably associated with its arboreal mode of life. Other scale characters allow placement of the new monotypic genus close to the lygosomine genera Lipinia Gray and Scincella Mittleman (group 1 of Greer, 1974). A taxonomically very complicated group of lygosomine scincid lizards of the genus Leiolo- pisma and its relatives was revised by Greer (1974) in detail. Based on osteological and mor- phological characters, these lizards were placed into three major generic groups. Representatives of the genera Scincella and Lipinia (Greer's group I) and of Emoia (Greer's group II) inhabit the mainland of the south-east Asia, including Vi- etnam.