Poijonous Snokos of iho World 



hrniiilfr lliiiii .sii|irii>>i'iiliii's. I.iili'iiillv. iiiimiI \i>\iti. I<< 

 .niiiail Willi in'coiiiliir. 



Hotly si'Ult'S : l><>r.<ialN niiiooIIi, hi !.'■ iioimbliiim- nnvs 

 llii'i>imlii>ul liiuly. Vciilriils lf_'-l:;(l; aiiiil pliiti- divided: 

 siilii'iiiiilals imli'cil, 1. "►■_'">. 



MM\illMiy Iri'lh: 'I'wci iiimli-iali'ly laict- fauns wllh 

 oMi'i'iinl iiriivfs fiiUiiwftl, aClt'i- an liitiM'spnco, by 3 or -t 

 small tot'tli. 



ELAPIDAE; Genus Toxicoco/omus Boulenger, 1896. 

 K.liiii^iiU' snakes. 



Two s|ioii»'s nit' known from New (luitifn mikI I lie 

 ni-arliy KcrKiisson. Mlsiin;i. :nid Wuiiilhnk isl:irMl<. 

 Xt'itlu>r is known lo attain a IciiKtli of as niucli as ;i() 

 iiulu's: llifv liavf short fanus and are not coiisidi'rcd 

 ilanirtTous. 



Difiiiiliiiii: Hfad small and not distlncl from Ufik : 

 no cantliiis rostrnlis. Horty i-ylindrical and vt'iy slender: 

 tail short, with distinct tprniinal spine. 



Eyes very small ; pnpils ronnd. 



Head scales: The usual i) on the crown. Laterally 

 there is no preocnlar. tlie prefrontal extends downward 

 to supralabials lieliind nasal. 



Hotly scales: Dorsals smoolli. in 1.". IT rows tlirou^'li- 

 out body. X'eiitrals 230-30."> : anal philc divided or en- 

 tire: siibcandals pairiMl. 2.' ."1 : terminal sulnantlal elon^'- 

 ated anil compressed, with a keel above. 



FuiiRE 109. — Maxillary Bone of Toxicocalamiis. Notice 

 fangs and maxillary teeth Rradually decreasing in 

 length posteriorly. This is characteristic of a number 

 of elapids in the racific Region. Drawing courtesy 

 of Charles M. Bogert. 



JIaxillary teeth : Two short fangs followed, without 

 an interspace, by 4-."i teeth that gradually decrease in 

 length toward the rear. 



ELAPIDAE: Genus Tropidechis GiJnther, 1863. 

 Eolitrli-scaleil snakes. 



Two species have been described from eastern coastal 

 Australia, neither fif which grows to a length of more 



llian I feet. 'I'hi' common species, 7'. iiiihiiiliiH (Kreffl), 

 has been re|M.r'li'(| lo Inlllcl a filial bile. 



Ih/hiilitiii: Head disliiicl from iiecU : a disliiicl can- 

 lliiis lost rails. Iloily nioderalcly sloiil and cylindrical; 

 (all moileralely long. 



K.ves motlerale in sl/.e: pupils roiiml. 



Ileatl scales: The usmil !) scales on ihc crown. 

 I.alerall.v. nasal in contact willi prcociilar. 



Hodv scales: Dorsals heavilv keeled in L'.'l rows at 

 midlHPily, \'cnlrals Ifl.'i 'JIH; anal plale eiilire: snli- 

 cainlals single or p.-iiied. ."i(i .".I. 



Maxillary teeth: Two large fangs followed, iifler an 

 inlerspace. by I ."i small leetli. 



ELAPIDAE: Genus UHrocalamus Sternfeltd, 1913. 



.'~^ll()l•t laiio'i'd snake. 



.\ single species is known from \ew (Jninea and Ihe 

 offshore island of Seleo. .None of ihc specimens are as 

 long as .'{(I inches. The species is not lonsidcred dan- 

 gerous. 



Dcfiiiitiiiii : IIc;id small and not tlislinct from neck; 

 no distinct canlhus rostralis. Body cylindrical and 

 quite slender; tail short with blunt tip. 



E.ves ver.v small : iiu|iils rountl. 



Head scales: Internasals absent, leaving 7 scales 

 on crown. Laterally there is no preocnlar, the pre- 

 friuital extends downward to supralabials: a small post- 

 ocular present biU parietal extends down to supra- 

 labials so that there is no anterior temi'oral. 



FicuRE 110. — Head Scales of VUrocalamvs. Notice ab- 

 sence of preocnlar. temporals, and internasals cliar- 

 acteristic of this genus. Drawing courtesy of Charles 

 M. Bogert. 



Body scales: Dorsals smooth, in 13-li> rows through- 

 out body. Ventrals 2<S0-330 ; anal plate entire ; sub- 

 caudals paired, 20-")-!, terminal spine short and flat- 

 tened. 



Maxillary teeth: Two small fangs followed, without 

 an interspace, by 4-0 teeth that gradually decrease in 

 length toward the rear. 



154 



