PLEURODELES AVALTLI. GEOTRITOX. 259 



Pleiirodeles Waltli. 



Plcurodelcs Watlii, Dum. et Bib, vol. ix. p. 72 ; Sciiinz, Europ, Faun, 

 vol. ii. p. G4 ; Buon. Faun. Ital. (figm'ed only). 



Description. — The body much resembles that of the gemis 

 Triton in general appearance; the ribs, in from ten to 

 fourteen pairs, are directed backwards, and their extremities 

 protrude through the skin in a very remarkable manner, 

 having the appearance of small bony spines ; the eyes are 

 prominent, A\dth very chstinct eyelids ; the skin is some- 

 what granular on almost every part except the belly, very 

 smooth on the edges of the jaws ; a fold under the neck 

 and beliind the gape ; all the toes are free to their roots ; 

 the general colour above is brown, or blackish grey, with 

 yellowish marbHngs ; the belly covered with numerous 

 small black spots, '\\dth some yeUow spots interspersed. 

 No dimensions given. The habits of this species are as yet 

 unknown. 



First discovered by M. Waltl at Chiclana in Spain, and 

 probably confined to the more southern parts of that 

 country and of Portugal. Schinz states that it is very 

 common in Andalusia, in tanks and cisterns of water. 



N.B. — The Brachjhates ventricosus of Tschudi is probably 

 the young of the Pleurodeles. 



Genus GEOTRITON. 



Tongue a disk, free all round, supported in the centre 

 b}' a thin protractile stem received into a cavity in the 

 bottom of the mouth ; palatine teeth in one row, across 

 the roof, behind the internal orifices of the nostrils ; behind 

 these are two other rows of teeth ; eyes prominent ; no 

 apparent parotid glands ; aU the toes somewhat webbed at 

 the base ; skin smooth. Only one species. 



