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.
