﻿\ NEW SPECIES OF LIZARD FROM THE RIUKIU 

 ARCHIPELAGO, JAPAN 



By LEONHARD STEJNEGER 



Among a large number of reptiles from Japan and the adjacent 

 islands recently acquired by the United States National Museum 

 from Mr. Alan Owston, there is a surprisingly distinct species be- 

 longing to the lacertine genus Takydromus, surprisingly distinct 

 because the arrangement of the dorsal scales is entirely different 

 from what is the universal rule in all the other species of the genus. 

 There are about eight species known, and in all of these the dorsals 

 are greatly enlarged and disposed in parallel longitudinal rows. In 

 the new species the dorsals are small, not abruptly differentiated 

 from the laterals and not disposed in longitudinal rows. With this 

 character there are associated several others of great distinctness 

 and importance. 



TAKYDROMUS DORSALIS new species 



Diagnosis. — Four pairs of submental shields ; two inguinal pores 

 on each side ; dorsal scales small, not arranged in longitudinal series, 

 gradually merging into the laterals which are rather large, not granu- 

 lar ; six series of large ventrals, the outer series narrower than the 

 others, median series very slightly keeled, if at all ; posterior enlarged 

 throat scales pointed; superciliaries separated from supraoculars by 

 a series of granules; tail three times as long as head and body, or 

 more : a light stripe from nostril to ear, but none on body. 



Habitat. — Ishigaki shima, Yayeyama group, Riukiu archipelago, 

 Japan. 



Type. — United Stales National Museum No. 34,162; Ishigaki 

 shima, Yayeyama group; April-June, 1899. 



Variation. — In the ten specimens belonging to the National Mu- 

 seum but very little individual variation is observed. All have two 

 inguinal pores on each side, except Xo. 34,163 which has three; all 

 have four pairs of submentals; and all have the nasals in contact 

 behind the rostral. 



Remarks. — This exceedingly distinct species does not show any 

 near affinity to any of the known species of the genus. It is abso- 

 lutely unique in the arrangement and size of the dorsal scales. 



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