Praeteropus

Praeteropus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Scinciformata
Infraorder:	Scincomorpha
Family:	Scincidae
Subfamily:	Sphenomorphinae
Genus:	Praeteropus Hutchinson, Couper, Amey, & Wilmer, 2021
Species
4, see text.

Praeteropus is a genus of worm-skinks, smallish smooth-scaled burrowing lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to the eastern half of Australia. The genus belongs to a clade in the Sphenomorphus group which contains such genera as Ctenotus and the close relatives Eulamprus and Gnypetoscincus (Austin & Arnold 2006).

The following species are recognized as being valid.^[1]

• Praeteropus auxilliger Hutchinson, Couper, Amey & Wilmer, 2021
• Praeteropus brevicollis Greer ^[fr] & Cogger, 1985 – short-necked worm-skink (northeastern Australia)
• Praeteropus gowi Greer & Cogger, 1985 – Gow's burrowing skink, speckled worm-skink (northeastern Australia)
• Praeteropus monachus Hutchinson, Couper, Amey & Wilmer, 2021

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Praeteropus.