456 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



PHYLLODACTYLUS Gray. 



rhyUodaclylus Wiegmann, Herp. Mex., 1834, ]). 20.— DuM^.RiL and Bibkon, III, 

 1836, p. 388.— FiTZiNGKn, Sy.st. Rept., p. 94.— Gray, Cat. Liz. Brit. Mas., 1845, 

 p. 150; Spicil. Zool., 1830, p. 3.— Boulenger, Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus., 1, 1885, p. 76. 



Spha-rodaciyhis W.agleu, part, Syst. Amph., 1830, p. 143. 



Eulepics FiTZiNGER, Sy.st. Rept., p. 95. 



JHncodacti/his Fitzingek, Syst. Rept., p. 95. 



Diplodactijlns Wiegmann, part, Herp. Mex., 1834, p. 20. — Fitzinger, Syst. Rept., 

 p. 94.— Gray, Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus., 1845, p. 148. 



Parccpura Gunther, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (5), III, 1879, p. 218. 



Digits all dilated at their extremity into a disk, which is perfectly 

 smooth beneath, with a median furrow, all provided with distinct claws. 



The phyllodactyles are easily known by the smoothness below of 

 their digital disks and the distinct claws. Other characters, according 

 to Dnnu'ril and Bibron, are the vertical pupil, the nostrils flared at the 

 extremity of the snout, no second range of plates bordering the lower 

 labials; the digits with transverse divisions beneath, posterior to the 

 dilated portion. 



O^teoloyy. — In their osteology the species of this genus conform 

 strictly to the Geckonid type as already described. I have before me 

 the skeleton of P. tubercuJosus, from which the following description is 

 derived: The pi-emaxillary is single and has a long superior spine; 

 inferiorly it has the posterior border emarginate. Nasals elongate, dis- 

 tinct, emargiuate posteriorly for the frontal. Frontal single, rather 

 narrow, completely underarching olfactory lobes. Parietals distinct, 

 wide, without pineal foramen, lying rather closely on sui)raoccipital, 

 sending backward the parietoquadrate arch, which incloses a small 

 foramen with the exoccipital. Supraoccipital distinguished fiom exoc- 

 cipital by suture. Prefrontal narrow, forming thepreorbital border to 

 the middle above; no lachrymal; jugal represented by a splint which 

 extends from the prefrontal to the extremity of the maxillary on the 

 superior surface of the latter. Postfrontal a rather wide V-shaped bone, 

 its longest limb extending posteriorly more than halfway to the base 

 of the parietoquadrate arch. No postorbital. Quadrate with a single 

 large, concave, external conch. Paroccipital in the usual position, 

 splint-like. 



Vomers in close contact throughout, with a common convex posterior 

 border; an external longitudinal convexity of the inferior surface, and 

 a groove on each side of the median suture, which divides a keel. Pala- 

 tines short and wide, and with a longer vomerine than maxillary proc- 

 ess, and curving downward below the level of the vomers. Narial 

 orifices fissure-like except posteriorly and anteriorly, the external bor- 

 der with a dentate process of the maxillary bone directed posteriorly near 

 the middle. Pterygoids much exj^anded anteriorly, forming with the 

 ectopterygoids and palatines a thin plate, which closes up the palatine 

 foramen; contracting rather rapidly posteriorly to the subcylindric rod- 



