124 DISOOGLOSSID.E. 



fairly distinctive of the whole family, tlie structure of 

 the urogenital apparatus, together with other cha- 

 racters, give ample foundation to this proposition. 



This family comprises only four genera. Three are 



confined to the Palajarctic region and represented in 



Europe; the fourth, Liopelma, Fitzinger, closely allied 



to Ahjtes, is the only representative of the Batrachians 



in New Zealand. The range of the species dealt with 



in this work is shown on the accompanying map. 



The European genera are distinguished as follows : 



Tympanum present, distinct or hidden ; pupil 



roundish or triangular; diapophyses of sacral 



vertebra moderately dilated . 1. Discoglossus. 



Tympanum absent; pupil roundish or triangular ; 



diapophyses of sacral vertebra very strongly 



dilated 2. Bombinator. 



Tympanum distinct; pupil vertical; diapophyses 

 of sacral vertebra strongly dilated. 



3. Ahjtes. 



The relationships of these three genera cannot be 

 well expressed in a linear arrangement Discoglossus 

 is unquestionably the most generalised, and Bombinator 

 and Alytes are almost equally related to it, the latter 

 being, on the whole, more affine to Discoglosms than 

 to Bombinator, especially with regard to the osteological 

 characters. 



1. Discoglossus. 



Ottb, Neue Denksckr. allgeni. Sckweiz. Naturf. Ges., i, 1837, p. 6. 



Pupil roundish or triangular. Vomerine teeth in 

 long transverse series behind the choana. Tongue 

 circular, entire, scarcely free behind. Tympanum 

 more or less distinct or concealed under the skin. 

 Fingers free, toes webbed ; outer metatarsals separated 

 by web. Diapophyses of sacral vertebra moderately 

 dilated. Urostyle articulated to two condyles. 



A single species, confined to the western parts of 

 the Palasarctic region. 



