The Discovery of the Lizard Genus Carlia 

 (Scincidae: Lygosominae) in Victoria 



by A. J. C'ovkniky* 



On 6 lime, 1970, Mr. p. Robson 

 ol ratOtlS ".t'Ucctcd tWp specimens 

 of a seinud lixurd near lauiimcV. 

 Gap, ill the Warby Ranges west Ol 

 Wangataita. Vicloiia. Mr. VV. Os- 

 borne suhse.picmly hrougbt one Of 

 these speeimens 10 the Nan.in.il 

 Museum of Victoria i Reg d No 

 DI4.V>4), where h was identilicd as 

 ( "arltamtu i <>.* >'/ ( Ramsay and Ogilby) 

 Since ibis date. Mr. Robson has 

 kindly donated the second specimen 

 10 the National Museum (DMhlb), 

 while two additional specimens have 

 been collected from the same area 

 (0I4S63 and til 1576) Another two 

 specimens base been collected from 

 i granite outcrop approximately 10 

 miles north of Albury, N.S.W. 

 (014636-7), while Mr. P \ Raw 

 hnson of Lalrobc University has 

 donated NSW. speeimens Irom 

 Tarculta (DU522-H. 4 miles N h. 

 ot lareutla (DH525 b>. IC llUJW 

 N,ti. of Tarcutia (DI4:527). H 

 miles; N.E. of laiculta ID1452K), 

 7 miles S. of Lyndhursi ( D 145 M) \ ), 

 and tounabarabran < PI •! 52'J ) . Ml 

 of these lizards were collected in lile 

 vicinity of roefcy outcrops. The 

 National Museum also has speci- 

 mens from ihc type locality. Brawlin, 

 N.S.W. (D4I52-4I, donated bv Mr 

 Met ooey. 



Ihc genus Ctftki Giay, l^ 4 ^- 

 removed liom the synonymy ol l.u<> 

 fopismit Dumcril & Hihton, IXW, V»y 

 Milikman. l' J ^2. to contain those 

 •peeies with lour fingers and live 

 iocs which had been referred to 

 Uiiilofis-no. He says: Pilfers esseu- 

 imllv from Lvwhphmu as follows. A 



single well developed frontoparietal 

 interparietal very small or absent 

 (ligjtS 4-S Oislilbiition Mnliuv.is. 

 New Guinea, Australia and I'apu 



a.sia". 



I be only previously published 

 iveoid ol a species ivteiable lo thin 

 genus in Victoria appeals lo lie 

 I ocas & I tost, l89kt, when thev listed. 

 Lriolofiivnut ti'tnutiu rvluni I O'Shaiigh- 

 nessy), with distribution iwithm Vie 

 tOrja) as Htowu's Plains and Rama- 

 vvartha < I he National Museum has 

 two specimens of imuitMfvi labelled 

 tjefplopisma leiriaduttytc from Vic 



lona. ReeM Nos. OBS2 and DI721 

 donated by Irosl. and piubably at le.iv 

 part ot the matetial before Lucas <v 

 Frost). Both of Ihese localities art 

 within 25 miles of Allan y. N.S.W 

 Lucas & Krosl say -Habits: ... is 

 found amongst the glass and herbage 

 ou the dr\ open plains near the 

 Murray". "1h"}i contrasts with the 

 habiiac where recent .specimens haw 

 been eolleclcd 



There is some confusion as to the 

 lelatiolishtp ol icuiK.'m irld ana 

 nmrcoo.^i. Ramsay .mil Oy.ilhy . I *'><'. 

 when, deserthinp ntrurnoru com- 

 mented that the iwo could Well he 

 SJ nous ms. and listed seven paints in 

 which they thllcml I hey were that 

 (0 ii-miitui.iyl<r. L The head is inuih 

 larger. 2. The prelronlals ue m potj- 

 tact. 3. The frontal is titueli shorter 

 than the Irontopanelal. 4. Ihc gftltt 

 have no face nf curtnation. Si MW 

 cnlarr-emem of the prc.nals. fi 

 Shorter tail, and 7. Different cWn«i 



tiftPWd Muvcufn i,i vu«mn 



,0 



VtcJ. Na. Vol 88 



