IV 



COKCILIIDAE 



89 



Fossil Apoda are not known : their subterranean litu does 

 not favour preservalion. 



Only family, Coeciliidae. About forty species are known. 

 These have been pkued in seventeen genera, mostly on com- 

 paratively slight grounds, and several of these genera are probably 



^m COECILIAE. 

 Fic. 14. — Map sliowiiii; the distribution of tlie Coeciliae or Aiiii)liiliia Apoda. 



unnatural, the distinctive characters having untloubtedly been 

 developed independently in various countries. We have to 

 remember tliat the recent species are the remainder of a formerly 

 much more numerous group; it is also likely that more will be 

 discovered in the tropical forests of South America and Sumatra. 

 Boulencrer ^ has distino;uished them as follows : — 



T. Cycloid scales embedded in tlie skin. 

 A. Eyes distinct, or concealed under tlie skin. 

 '(. Two series of teeth in the lower jaw. 



a. Quadrato-jugal (squamosal) and parietal bones in contact. 

 Tentacle between eye and nostril. 



Irldltyophis, 2 species, India and Malay islands, p. 90. 

 ,, below and behind nostril. 



Hijpogeophis, 3 species. East Africa and Seychelles, p. 92. 

 ,, below and in front of eye. 



Dermophi% 5 species, America and Africa, p. 93. 

 „ below the nostril. Coecilia, 6 species, America. 

 fi. Quadrato-jugal sej^arated from parietal. 



Tentacle close to the eye. Rhinatrema, 2 species, America. 

 ,, below and behind nostril. 



Geotnjpdes, 1 species, West Africa. 

 „ below nostril. 



Uraei)fiiphli(.-<, 3 species, West Africa and India. 

 h. One series of teeth in the lower jaw. 

 Tentacle in front of the eye. 



Criiplopsophis, 1 species, Seychelles. 



1 r. Z. ,9.189.% 11. 401. 



