122 BULLETIN 17 7, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



formed by a dark blotch and a pair of white spots well defined on 

 the shoulders of the immature and feebly developed in the adult 

 female. Streaks on the sides of the head and occiput region of the 

 immature and of most females. 



"Detailed Description. — Type: A.M.N.H. No. 51488, adult 

 male. Collected on Alta Vela Island, D. R., October 9-10, 1932, by 

 W. G. Hassler. 



"Snout a trifle less than twice as long as greatest diameter of the 

 eye; distance from tip of snout to center of eye greater than distance 

 from eye to ear opening; rostral plate rounded but with a distinct 

 lateral ridge or can thus; rostral with a single median cleft behind; 

 nostril surrounded by the rostral, first supralabial, supranasal, and 

 two other scales of which the more ventral is only about one-tenth 

 as large as the more dorsal. A single scale separating the supranasals 

 in the midline a trifle larger than the scales immediately posterior 

 to it; three enlarged supralabials followed by three much smaller 

 suboculars; the posterior supralabial not reaching the center of the 

 eye. A cluster of tliree or four scales on the superciliary margin 

 directly over the dorsal anterior border of the eye distinctly larger 



than the superciliary scales pos- 

 terior to them, one of the scales in 

 the group forming an outwardly 

 directed spine; scales on the upper 

 surface of the head posterior to 

 the supranasals keeled, except for 

 two or three scales on the most 

 anterior row; scales between the 

 anterior half of the orbits slightly 

 longer than those on the snout, 

 but only a half or two-thirds as 

 broad ; scales on the upper surface 

 of the head behind the orbits 

 diminishing rapidly in size to form 

 a series of very small scales on the 

 greater part of the occiput. Six 

 scales in a line between supra- 

 nasals and a groove forming the 

 anterior border of the orbit ; seven- 

 teen scales in a row across the snout 



Figure 41. — Sphaerodactylus altavelensis : a, from supralabial to supralabial 

 Dorsum, showing color pattern; b, top of immediately in front of the ante- 

 head; c, chin; ^.profile of head; ., mid- ^-^^ ^^^,^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^j^^^ g^^j^g 

 dorsal scales. A.M.N.H. No. 51487, para- . , e e ^^ 



type, from Alta Vela Island, Dominican COVermg the upper surface of the 



Republi CM, X 2; b-e, X 4. body strongly keeled and imbri- 



