SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 171 



46. Leiocephalus cubensis (Gray). 



Plate 14, fig. 12. 



Iguana de la Sierra; Bayoya; Arrastrapansa. 



Diagnosis: — The most common and widespread of the curled-tailed lizards 

 having the whole side of the neck covered with imbricating pointed scales (not 

 granules) and having the dorsal and caudal crests about equally developed. 



Description: — Adult M. C. Z. 7,281. Cuba: near Camaguey, May, 1909. 

 Thomas Barbour. 



Upper head-scales large, heavily striated ; nasal in contact with the rostral ; 

 supraorbital series broadly in contact; supraoculars four, not conspicuously 

 strap-lilce, though much longer than broad, separated from the supraorbitals 

 by a series of small scales; two pairs of parietals in a row, the outer pair slightly 

 the larger; sides of neck plicate, covered with slightly elongate, pointed, keeled, 

 and imbricate scales; dorsal scales medium, about twelve corresponding to 

 length of head, heavily keeled and slightly mucronate, the keels in lines sharply 

 turned obliquely toward the middorsal line; lateral scales smaller, the keels 

 not forming such conspicuous lines; ventrals rather smaller than dorsals, smooth 

 and rounded, somewhat broader than long; the adpressed hind limb reaches 

 about to the ear; tail somewhat compressed, with a caudal crest about equally 

 developed with the dorsal. 



Colour (in Ufe) : — The back rich mahogany-brown, in young and half- 

 gro^\'n examples, variegated with series of dark dots. A broad black band on 

 each side of the head wliich changes to a rich maroon-brown upon the sides of 

 the neck and gradually becomes less distinct posteriorly upon the sides. In 

 the young these bands are very conspicuous aad are narrowly edged with white. 

 The white edging of the lower margin of the lateral band is usually present 

 through life. The throat is usually flecked with white or grayish or reddish 

 ground-coloiir which becomes paler posteriorly until it is dirty yellow about 

 the thighs and vent. The tail is brown, lighter toward the tip, narrow and 

 inconspicuous dirty yellow bands. 



Dimensions: — Total length 240 mm. 



Tip of snout to vent 90 mm. 



Vent to tip of tail 150 mm. 



Width of head 14 . 5 mm. 



Fore Umb 37 mm. 



Hind limb 67 mm. 



