Four new species and one new subspecies of skinks, genus Leiolopisma (Reptilia: Lacertilia: Scincidae) from New Zealand

Abstract Four new species and one new subspecies of New Zealand skinks, genus Leiolopisma, identified on the basis of allozyme and morphological variation, are described: L. inconspicuum n. sp., L. maccanni n. comb., L. microlepis n. sp., L. notosaurus n. sp., and L. nigriplantare polychroma n. ssp. A morphological key for identifying these species is provided, and the practical difficulties of identifying morphologically cryptic species are discussed.