14. EtTNECTES, 115 



14. EUNECTES* 



Boa, part., Linn. Si/st. Nat. i. p. 373 (1766) ; Schlecf. Phys. Serp. ii. 



p. 373 (1887). 

 Draco (tum Laur.), part., Oken, Lehrb. Naturi). iii. p. 273 (1816). 

 Eunectes, Waql. Si/st. Amph. p. 167 (1830) ; Dum. Sf Bibr. Erp. Gen. 



vi. p. 527 (1844) ; Gray, Cat. Sn. p. 102 (1849) ; Jan, Icon. Gen. 



p. 83 (1864). 



Anterior maxillary and mandibular teeth longest, gradually 

 decreasing in size. Head distinct from neck : snout covered with 

 shields; nostril directed upwards, between three nas<ils, the upper 

 of which are in contact behind the rostral. Eye small, with vertical 

 pupil. Body cylindrical ; scales very small, smooth. Tail short, 

 slightly prehensile ; subcaudals single. 



South America. 



1. Eunectes murinus. 



Seha, Thes. ii. pi. xxix. fig. 1 (1735). 



Boa murina, Linn. S. N. i. p. 374 (1700) ; Schneid. Hist. Amph. ii. 



p. 241 (1801); Daud. Rept. v. p. 155 (1803); Schneid. Denkschr. 



Ak. Miinch. vii. 1821, p. 108; Schlef/. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 380, pi. xiv. 



figs. 1 & 2 (1837). _ 



scytale, part., Linn. I. c. 



scvtale, Schneid. Hist. Amph. ii. p. 248. 



gigas, Latr. Rept. iii. p. 136 (1802). 



aiiacondo, Daud. t. c. p. 101, pi. Ixiii. fig. 2. 



' aquatica, Wied, Beitr. Nut. Bras. i. p. 220 (1825), and Abhild. 



(1831). 

 Eunectes murinus, Gray, Griff. A. K. ix., Syn. p. 90 (1831) ; Dum. 8f 



Bibr. vi. p. 528 (1844) ; Gray, Cat. p. 102 (1849) ; Jan, Icon. Gen. 



p. 84, 1. 0, pi. iii. (1804). 



Rostral as broad as deep, scarcely visible from above : a pair of 

 large praefrontals, followed by smaller shields ; a large lorcal, a 

 large prajocular, and a large supraocular ; three postoculars and two 

 suboculars, separated from the labials by a scries of small shields ; 

 fifteen to seventeen upper labials. Scales smooth, in 57 to 63 rows. 

 Ventrals 242-266 ; anal entire; subcaudals 56-73. Greyish brown 

 or olive above, with a single series or with two alternating series 

 of large blackish transverse spots and one or two lateral series of 

 blackish ocelli with white centres ; top of the head dark, separated 

 from the paler sides by a black streak forming a point on the snout ; 

 an oblique black streak on each side of the head, behind the eye ; 

 lower parts whitish, spotted with black. 



Total length 6600 millim. ; is said to attain a length of 

 10 metres (33 feet). 



Guianas, Brazil, N.E. Peru. 



a, b. Hgr. S (So. 59 ; V. 247 ; Siu-inam. Lidth de Jeude 



C. 60) & yg. (So. 59; V. CoUection. 



247 ; 0. 63). 



c. Yg. (So. 63 ; V. 245 ; C. 67). British Guiana. 



d. Hgr., stifd. Para. 



i2 



