Xn INTRODUCTION 



All known paratypes are given in the list, because a paratype should be 

 available to take the place of a lost or damaged holotype. If no foniial 

 designation of paratypes was made in the original description, I considered 

 the "specimens examined" cited in the description as paratypes. In some 

 instances I received the sanction of the describers of such species for this 

 action. L. M. Klauber, Hobart M. Smith, and other herpetologists agree with 

 me that any specimens used by an author and recognized by him as belonging 

 to the species when he is describing it are actually paratypes, although we 

 recognize his right to name only certain ones as paratypes in his original 

 description if he so desires. Another reason for listing paratypes is to en- 

 courage their exchange with other museums. Common sense indicates the 

 need for as wide a dispersal as possible of critical material where it may be 

 most useful. Many museums, including the U.S. National Museum, are 

 willing to trade when they have several paratypes of any given form. 



For the spelling of geographic names, I referred to the "U.S. Directory of 

 Post Offices," the "Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer of the World," the U.S. 

 Board on Geographic Names, and the American Geographical Society's "Map 

 of Hispanic American." If the locality data as given in the original descrip- 

 tion are too general or obviously in error, emendations and corrections are 

 added in parentheses. 



The list contains 1,742 names of types. The original generic, specific, and 

 subspecific names followed by the name of the describer appear on the first 

 line. I then cite the publication where the name and description first ap- 

 peared. If the original name of the genus or species is no longer accepted, 

 I give on the third line the current synonym in italics. Finally I give a com- 

 plete listing of museum number, locality, collector, and date collected for 

 the holotype, allotype, neotj^^e, cotypes, paratypes, and lectotypes. 



The accepted definitions of these terms are: 



Holotype: The designated single specimen on which the origi- 



nal description is based. 



AKolype: The designated single specimen of the sex opposite 



to that of the holotype. 



Neotype: The specimen chosen to take the place of the lost 



or destroyed holotype but not belonging to the 

 original series of specimens used by the author. 



Cotype: One of several specimens used by the describer in 



preparing his original description, in which he did 

 not designate a specific individual as a holotype. 



Paratype: The other specimen (or specimens) used by the 



author and recognized as belonging to the same 

 species when he clearly designates one particular 

 specimen as the holotype or "t>T)e." 



