45 



(ienus DIEMYCTYLUS, Raf. 



Diemychjhis, Rafinesque, 1820, 108, 5 ; Cope, 1889, 51, 202 ; Molge, 

 Merrem, 1820, 96, 1885; Boulenger, 1882, S8, 6. 



Vomero- palatine teeth on inner margin of long backwardly projecting 

 palatine processes of vomers. No parasphenoidal teeth. Tongue small, 

 free only a little at the sides. An arch of bone connecting the squamosal 

 and frontal bones. Digits 4-5. 



Diemyctylus viridescens, Kafinesque. 



Green Triton; Newt. 



Figure 6, PL 1. 



Triturus (D.) viridescens, Rafinesque, 1820, 108, No. 22; Salamandra 

 symmetrica, Holbrook, 1842, 5 J,., v, 57, pi. 17 ; Diemyctylus viridescens, 

 Cope, 1889, 51, 207, with figures ; 3folge viridescens, Boulenger, 1882, 28, 

 21; D. viridescem. Gage, 1891, 22, 1103, with plate and complete syn- 

 onomy. 



Body usually rounded and full, without a dorsal crest, but with a dis- 

 tinct sharp vertebral ridge. Distance from the snout to the axilla in 

 distance to groin 2 5 times. Head longer than broad, its width in dis- 

 tance to the groin about 3.5 times. Outlines of head converging in front 

 of the eyes to the rounded snout. Skull flat above, with four ridges en- 

 closing three grooves ; the outer ridge formed by the fronto-squamosal 

 arch. Sides of the head perpendicular. A row of three or four enlarged 

 pores behind the eye ; these sometimes wanting. No gular fold. Tongue 

 small and fleshy, free a little at the sides Vomero-palatine teeth in two 

 rows, which meet between the choanse; then, diverging gradually, run 

 backward along the roof of the mouth to the back of the skull. Tail 

 constituting about one-half the entire length of the animal, more or less 

 compressed, and tapering to a point; in the breeding season furnished 

 above and below with a membrane-like fin. 



Anterior limbs slender, the inner finger rudimentary. Hinder limbs 

 stout, the inner and the outer toes small. In the breeding season, black 

 callosities appear, in the case of the mature males, on the inner side of the 

 hinder limbs, on the bottoms of the feet, and at the tips of the toes, those 

 above forming transverse ridges. 



The coloration of this species is so different at different periods of its 

 life that a specimen seen while immature and again when full-grown 

 would with difficulty be recognized as belonging to the same species. The 

 gilled larvte are olive of various shades, with black specks above ; below, 

 the color is almost uniform whitish. The metamorphosed, but still im- 

 mature specimens are, on the other hand, of an orange color, varying to 



