RECORDS OF THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM 26 115–137 (2011) DOI: 10.18195/issn.0312-3162.26(2).2011.115-137 Revision of the Pygmy Spiny-tailed Skinks (Egernia depressa species-group) from Western Australia, with descriptions of three new species Paul Doughty1, Luke Kealley1,2 and Stephen C. Donnellan3 1 Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew St., Welshpool, Western Australia 6106, Australia. Email:
[email protected] 2 Department of Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Bentley, 6845, Australia. Email:
[email protected] 3 South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, 5000, Australia; Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia. Email:
[email protected] ABSTRACT – Egernia depressa is an extremely spiny species of scincid lizard that occurs in several populations with highly variable morphology in western Australia. Using a combination of fi xed morphological character differences and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, we found evidence for four species level groups within the complex. We restrict E. depressa to the log-inhabiting population from south-western Australia and resdescribe the species, and describe three new species from the arid zone: two from the Pilbara and one from the central ranges. In addition to the genetic differences, the species differ in head size, limb length, tail shape, colouration and scalation. Many of the morphological characters appear to be adaptations to log or rock-dwelling, with the log-dwelling E. depressa having brown colouration, large head, limbs and tail and long thin spines on the body and tail.