2l6 



51. Platurus Daudin. 

 (Daudin, Rept. VII p. 223, 1803). 



Nostrils lateral; eye small; pupil round; nasals separated 

 by internasals; head-shields large; praeocular present; loreal 

 absent. Maxillary teeth two large fangs separated from one 

 or two small teeth. Body long, covered with smooth, imbricate 

 scales in 19—25 rows; ventrals large. Tail strongly compressed. 



Distribution. Indian Ocean and West Pacific Ocean. 



Key to the species. 



A. Rostral in contact with five shields ; scales in 



21 — 23 rows I. P. schistorhynchns p. 216. 



B. Rostral in contact with six shields. 



I. Frontal in contact with six shields; scales 



in 19 rows 2. P. laticandatus p. 217- 



II. Frontal in contact with seven shields; scales 



in 21 — 25 rows Z' P' cohibrinus p. 217. 



I. Platurus schistorhynchus Giinther. 



Platurus schistorhynchus^ Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1874, p. 297, pi. XLV, fig. A. 

 Platurus schistorhynchus^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. Ill 1896, p. 309. 



Rostral more broad than deep, in contact with five shields; 

 praefrontals with a third shield in a transverse row, not reaching 

 the labials; frontal longer than the parietals, in contact with 

 seven shields; supraoculars entire; parietals entire; nasals lateral, 

 in contact with the three anterior labials; one prae- and two 

 postoculars; temporals small, 2 + 3; seven upper labials, third 

 and fourth entering the eye; anterior chin-shields distinct, 

 posterior indistinct and separated. Scales smooth, in 21 — 23 

 rows; ventrals 178 — 200, three or more times as broad as the 

 last row of scales, the last one or two often divided, the 

 posterior with a median keel; anal divided. 



Yellowish or greyish above, with blackish bands, 25 — 45 

 annuli. Lower surface yellowish. Length of head and body 

 1195 mm.; tail 114 mm. 



Habitat: Java; E. Flores!; Pulu Kambing in Lobetobi 

 strait!; Ambon!; New Guinea (Bertrand Island on the north 

 coast). — Loo Choo Islands; Savage Island; Society Islands; 

 Samoa. 



