HO 2211. GENERA DESMOONATHUS AND LEUROGNATHUS—DUNN. 401 

 DESMOGNATHUS QUADRAMACULATA Holbrook. 



1840. Salamandra quadramaculata Holbrook, N. Amer. Herpetology, ed. 1, vol. 



4, pi. 27. 



1840. Salamandra maculo-quadrata Holbrook, N. Amer. Herpetology, vol. 4, 



p. 121. 

 1842. Salamandra quadrimaculata Holbrook, N. Amer. Herpetology, ed. 2, vol. 



5, p. 49, pi. 13. 



1842. Triton niger (part) Holbrook, N. Amer. Herpetology, ed. 2, vol. 5, p. 81 



(not of Green). 

 1849. Desmognathus niger Baird, Joiirn. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, (n. e.) 



vol. 1, p. 285. 

 1854. Ambystoma nigrum Dumeril and Bibron, Erpdtologie G^n<5rale, vol. 9, 



p. 125. 

 1903. Desmognathus quadrimaculata Stejneger, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 26, 



p. 557. 



Type. — So far as known there is none. 



Type-locality. — Holbrook (1840) says "I first found it in the 

 Carolinas." 



Bistnhidion. — From Wytheville and Giles County, Virginia, south- 

 ward in the Alleghenies into Georgia and South Carolina. Zonal 

 range Transition and Canadian. Vertical range, 2,000-6,000 (Roan 

 Mountain). 



Diagnosis. — Vomerine teeth always present. Parasphenoid series 

 confluent anteriorly. Legs stout. Two and a half to three costal 

 interspaces between appressed toes. Tail flattened, keeled, and 

 finned above. Head very large. Size large. No distinct color 

 pattern. Belly black. Larvae: Total length to 79 mm. Trans- 

 formed specimens: Total length 49-164 mm. Head and body 

 27-100 mm. 



Description. — The vomerine teeth are always present and form 

 two arched series which extend nearly to the nares and approach 

 each other posteriorly within one-fourth of their own length. When 

 complete there are are 8-9 teeth in each series. The parasphenoid 

 series are very long narrow patches, confluent anteriorly, which 

 approach the vomeries from one-third to two-thirds the length of the 

 vomerine series. 



The tongue seems usually small and round, but it is variable. 



The tail is always shorter than the head and body, and is usually 

 flattened and fiinned. 



The legs are very large and stout. The number of costal spaces 

 between the appressed toes is two and a half to three. 



The head length is from three and two-thirds to four and a half 

 in the length of head and body. The head width is about five in the 

 length of.head and body. 



This is the largest species in the genus, with a long head, long 

 body, short tail, and long legs. 



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