Liopholis aputja, also known as the Central Ranges rock-skink, is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae.

The specific epithet aputja means “of the hills” in the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara dialects of the Western Desert language spoken within the species' range, with reference to its preferred habitat.

[1] The species was described following a scientific collecting expedition by Monash University researchers to the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands of north-western South Australia, where the team worked with the traditional owners, being assisted by the Anangu Rangers with local knowledge and by access to particular sites.

The holotype was collected in Alalkanya Gorge, 13 km north of Pukatja in the eastern Musgrave Ranges, in 2005.

L. aputja also appears to favour higher elevations in rocky country, with other local Liopholis species preferring sandplain habitats.