19. VERTICARIA 571 



127. Verticaria sericea Van Denburgh 

 San Jose Island Verticaria 



Verticaria sericea Van Denburgh, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. (2), V, p. 132, 

 pi. XII (type locality, San Jose Island, Gulf of California); 

 Cope, Report U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898, p. 564, fig. 103; Van Den- 

 burgh & Slevin, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, Vol. 4, 1914, pp. 

 133, 148; Stejneger & Barbour, Check List N. Amer. Amph. 

 Rept., 1917, p. 65; Nelson, Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci., Vol. XVI, 

 1921, pp. 114, 115. 



Cnemidophorus sericeus Ditmars, Reptile Book, 1907, p. 186. 



Description. — Nostrils opening in large anterior nasal 

 plates which meet on top of snout. Posterior nasal forming 

 sutures with anterior nasal, first and second labials, loreal, 

 prefrontal, and frontonasal plates. Loreal in contact with 

 second, third and fourth labials, first subocular, preocular, 

 first superciliary, first supraocular, prefrontal, and posterior 

 nasal. Three supraoculars, first in contact with first and 

 second superciliaries, loreal, prefrontal, frontal, and second 

 supraocular; second in contact with frontal; third separated 

 from frontal and frontoparietal by a series of granules. 

 Interparietal very narrow. A series of occipital plates. 

 Five superior and six inferior labials to below middle of eye, 

 Sublabials separated from the infralabials by granules. An- 

 terior gulars rather large, and abruptly separated from the 

 small posterior gulars. Scales on collar very small, largest 

 centrally, smaller on edge. Ventral plates arranged in 

 eight longitudinal and 30 transverse rows. Back covered 

 with small equal-sized granules. Tail conical, provided 

 with scales arranged in whorls. Upper caudals with strong 

 diagonal keels, but lower smooth proximally. Ear-open- 

 ing not denticulated. Thirteen to eighteen pores. Hind 

 limb longer than distance between anus and line of separa- 

 tion of anterior and posterior gulars. 



The back is black, dotted with brick-red on single granu- 



