TEIID LIZARDS OF THE GENUS CNEMIDOPHOriUS 35 



the presence of hut one pai'ictiihpostorhitnl scute. l)ut it has ah'eady 

 been 2)(>iiite(l out tliat tliis \ariation occurs in specimens IVoni Mil- 

 ford Bay, Toba<;o, as well as in those fi'oni the mainland of Hon- 

 duras. Such wide geographical variation in this character renders 

 the distinction untenahle. 



Rimtiuius -svas found to ditfer from gaiyel in that there are but 

 '• a couple of elongate shields between the supraoculars and the 

 frontoparietals and parietals — an even more extreme reduction than 

 is seen in the latter form." Since this is frequently seen m Colom- 

 bian specimens, which, perhaps, after all, represent the extreme in 

 reduction of the number of head granules, it can not be used to 

 separate the two })()pulations. The type of nuifanus has a median 

 posterior frontoparietal present, but this variation is clearly an 

 abnormality, which now and tlien occurs in nearly all of the connuon 

 species of CnemidopJiorus and A?neiva, including lemnlscatus itself. 



In the original description of ruafanus it was written that "It 

 seems probable that more material will show a fairly well defined 

 race to inhabit this island. At the same time it is only fair to say 

 that this species badly needs critical study when sufficient material 

 is accumulated." The writer, however, feels fairly certain that ad- 

 ditional material from Ruatan will not uphold ruafanus. In regard 

 to the second point, it may be said that the excellent series of speci- 

 mens examined are sufficient to show that neither ruafaniis, (ja'ujel^ 

 nor e.speuti can be fairly maintained as distinct units. 



Diagnosis. — The blue lizard may be distinguished as follows: 

 Ventral plates in 8 longitudinal series; parietals 5; supraoculars 

 normally 4. rarely 3; ventral caudals more or less definitely ridged 

 or keeled; enlarged anal spurs often present: femoral pores 15-29; 

 femora of young distinctly spotted, of adult either spotted or un- 

 spotted; young fully lined, with G-10 stripes, usually with 9; lines 

 present or absent in adult, and if present, lateral stripes distinct, 

 faded, or absent ant[ sides spotted or unspotted; under surfaces white 

 to blue, lower flanks usually brilliant blue or reddish bi-own. this 

 sometimes continued high laterally in adults. 



DescHption. — Snout rather blunt to moderr.tely pointed; nostril 

 usually in suture between antei'ior and posterior nasal plates; an- 

 terior nasal not in contact with second upper labial; supraoculars 

 normally 4; supraocular granules usually extending forward to the 

 middle of the third supi aoculai-: frontopai'ietals normally 2; 

 l)arietals normally 5; anterior and posterior gulars usually poorly 

 differentiated, rather small, often uniform or slightly enlarged cen- 

 trally or medio-laterally ; mesoptychials moderatelj^ large, largest 

 medio-laterally or at a j^oint just to the side of the median line, 

 smaller toward the sides, in 1-G rows, posterior often largest; post- 



