OPHIOMOETJS. 221 



258. Scincus arenarius. 



Scincus arenarius, Murray, Zool. Sind, p. 353, pi. , fig. 2 ; Bvuleny. 

 Cat. Liz. iii, p. 392. 



Snout depressed, cuneiform, truncated, strongly projecting ; 

 loreal region concave.; mouth inferior ; eye small ; ear hidden. 

 Rostral very large, forming a suture with the frontouasal ; 6 

 supraoculars, second, third, and fourth in contact with the frontal ; 

 parietals shorter than the interparietal, followed by 2 to 4 pairs 

 of nuchals ; 8 or 9 upper labials. Scales perfectly smooth, laterals 

 smallest, dorsals not quite so large as ventrals ; 28 or 30 round the 

 middle of the body. Sides of belly and neck angular. Digits 

 short, much depressed and strongly toothed laterally. Cream- 

 coloured, each dorsal scale with one or two buff streaks or dots ; 7 

 to 10 deep reddish-brown vertical blotches on each side. 



From snout to vent 4 inches ; tail 2. 



Hob. Sind (Hab plains). 



Genus OPHIOMORUS, 

 Diun. & Bibr. Erp. G6n. v, p. 799, 1839. 



Palatine bones not meeting on the median line of the palate, 

 which is toothless. Teeth conical or with obtuse crowns. Eye 

 small; lower eyelid with an undivided transparent disk. Ear 

 hidden or hardly distinguishable. Nostril pierced in the suture 



Fig. 59. Upper and side views of head of Ophiomoms tridactylus. 



between a nasal and a supranasal ; praefrontals very small or 

 absent ; frontoparietals small, distinct from interparietal. Body 

 much elongate ; limbs rudimentary or absent. 



Distribution. Greece ; South-western Asia, from Asia Minor 

 and Syria to North-western India. 6 species are known. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



Fingers and toes three O. tridaclylus, p. 222. 



Fingers four, toes three O. blanfordii, p. 222. 



