I. Ichthyophis Fitz. 



(Fitzinger, Neue Classif. Rept., Wien, 1826, p. 36). 

 Epicrium Wagler, Isis, 1828, p. 742. 



Scales present. Eyes externally distinguishable. Tentacle 

 conical, near the lip. Two series of teeth in the upper, and 

 usually also in the lower jaw. A short, pointed tail present. 

 Paraquadratum (squamosum) in contact with the parietal bone. 



Oviparous. 



Distribution: from India to the western part of the 

 Indo-Australian Archipelago. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



A. Snout as long as the distance between the eyes. A 



yellow lateral band I. I. ghitinosus p. 2. 



B. Snout shorter than the distance between the eyes. 



No lateral band 2. I. motiochrous p. 3. 



i. Ichthyophis ghitinosus (L.). 



Caecilia glutinosa Linne, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 17 5^1 P- 229. 



Caecilia hypocycuiea (v. Hasselt), Schlegel, Abbild. neuer oder unvollst. bek. Amph., 



Diisseldorf, 1837 — 44, p. 119, pi. XXXIX, fig. 1 (larva). 

 Ichthyophis ghitinosus Boulenger, Cat. Batr. Grad. Brit. Mus., 1882, p. 89, 



pi. IV, figs. 2, 2 a — e. 

 Ichthyophis ghitinosus Sarasin, Erg. naturw. Forschungen auf Ceylon, II, 1887 — 90, 



pis. I— XXIV. 

 Ichthyophis ghitinosus Boulenger, Vert. Fauna Malay Penins., Rept. and Batr., 



London, 1912, p. 285, fig. 79 (after Sarasin). 

 Ichthyophis ghitinosus Nieden, Gymnophiona, in „Das Tierreich", Berlin, pt. 37, 



1913, p. 6, figs. 12 and 13. 



Body cylindrical, with 240 — 400 circular folds, some of them 

 bifurcating. Both series of teeth in lower jaw well developed. 

 Snout rounded, as long as the distance between the eyes, 

 which are easily distinguishable; tentacle small, in front of 

 and below the eye, close to the lip, and usually much nearer 

 the eye than the nostril. 



Dark brown or bluish black; along each side of the body 

 a bright lemon-yellow, sharply defined band, varying much in 

 width; tentacles white; eyes black, with a very narrow pale 

 brown ring round them. Length 380 mm. 



Lives in moist places, in te mud near the water. The food 

 consists of earth-worms and small burrowing snakes. The very 



