COPE ON TH^ BATEACHIA SALIENTIA. 9^ 



separate. Teeth none ; sacral diapophyses dilated. Terminal pha- 

 langes acute, simple. External metatarsals separated by a web. 



The Neotropical genus Pipa has the atlas confluent with the 

 second vertebra, so that there are but seven anterior to the sacrum. 

 There are distinct nasal bones, and the median septum of the ethmoid 

 is partially ossified. The prefrontals are completely in contact with 

 each other and with the fronto-parietal. 



D ACTYLETHKIDiE . 



No ribs : OS ilium attached to the ninth vertebra only. Coracoida 

 and epicoracoids well separated from those of the opposite side. 

 Fronto-parietal strongly ossified, overhanging the confluent pre- 

 frontals. Teeth present ; sacral diapophyses dilated. Terminal 

 phalanges acute, simple. External metatarsals separated by a web. 



One genus Bactylethra, in the Eegio ^thiopica. In this the 

 interorbital ethmoid plate, though long, is not produced anteriorly, 

 and is entirely concealed by the fronto-parietal. The prefrontal 

 diOQ^ not always extend to it. The first two vertebrae are separate, 

 but the sacral and coccyx confluent. There are ossa nasalia above 

 the nares. 



Pal^obateachidje. 



No ribs : os ilium attached to the diapophyses of the confluent 

 ninth, eighth, and seventh vertebrae, which form a disc; coccyx 

 attached by a simple glenoid cavity. Eronto-parietal strongly 

 ossified, not produced further than the separate prefrontals. Ex- 

 ternal metatarsals probably separated by a web. 



The genus FalceobatraGhus, Tsch., represented by several species 

 in the miocene of Germany. The superior plate of the ethmoid was 

 concealed ; and the atlas confluent with the first vertebra, leaving but 

 six between the occiput and sacrum. 



Von Meyer states* that, of a great number of specimens of 

 P. diluvianus which he examined, but one exhibited the complete 

 developmental stage, as indicated by the complete fusion of the sacral 

 diapophyses, which is certainly a remarkable circumstance. Such an 

 one preserved in the British Museum has opisthocoelian vertebrae. 

 Von Meyer describes the vertebrae of P. giganteus as procoelian, 

 while some of them are figured as opisthocoelian. It remains there- 



* Palgeontographica, iii. p. 147. 



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