92 



Habitat: Nias; Sumatra (Labuan, Medan!, Bedagei, Laut 

 Tador in Upper Langkat, Indragiri, Gunung Sahilan!, Gunung 

 Sugei in Lampong district); Borneo (Kuching, Sebruang Valley, 

 Bandjermassin, Kutei, Samarinda!). — Malay Peninsula. 



2. Macropisthodon rhodomelas (Boie). 



Tropidonotus rhodomelas^ Boie, Isis 1827, p. 535. 

 Macropisthodon rhodomelas^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. I 1893, p. 266. 



Rostral scarcely visible from above, at least twice as broad 

 as deep; internasals shorter than the praefrontals; frontal 

 slightly longer than its distance from the tip of the snout, 

 shorter than the parietals; loreal as long as deep or more deep; 



Fig. 39. Macropisthodon rhodomelas (Boie) X ^A- Side view of head. 



one, sometimes two praeoculars; usually a small subocular and 

 three or four postoculars; temporals 2 + 2, 2+3 or 3 + 3; 

 seven (rarely 8) upper labials, third and fourth (or fourth and 

 fifth) entering the eye; four or five lower labials in contact 

 with the anterior chin-shields ; latter about as long as or shorter 

 than the posterior. Scales in 19 rows, strongly keeled; ventrals 

 124 — 138; anal divided; subcaudals 42 — 58. 



Grey or reddish-brown above, with a dark vertebral stripe 

 ending in a V-shaped bluish spot on the nape; lips, throat 



