17 



Omosternum and sternum cartilaginous. Two condyles for 

 articulation with the os coccygis. Vertebrae procoelous. 



This genus connects the Peiobatidae with the Cystignathidae. 

 The strongly dilated sacral diapophyse^ make it necessary to 

 unite it with the Peiobatidae, though in other respects it is 

 more resembling some of the Cystignathidae (Linuiodyiiastes, 

 Ranaster, Phanerotis). 



Distribution: Aru islands; New Guinea. 



I. Batrachopsis melanopyga (Doria). 



Asterophrys melanopyga Doria, Ann. Mus. Geneva, VI, 1874, p. 355, pi. XII, fig. k. 

 Batrachopsis melanopyga Boulenger, Cat. Batr. Sal. Brit. Mus., 1882, p. 439. 

 Lechriodus melanopyga Fry, Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland, XXVII, 191 5, p. 72, 

 pi. I, figs. I, Iff, and textfig. zc. 



Vomerine teeth in two long, transverse, straight or slightly 

 arched, narrowly separated series behind the choanae, not 

 extending outwards beyond the latter. Head large, much broader 

 than long; snout rounded, not projecting, as long as the upper, 

 eyelid, about as long as deep; canthus rostralis angular, straight; 

 loreal region very oblique, concave; interorbital space as 

 broad as, or a little narrower than the upper eyelid ; tympanum 

 more or less distinct, vertically oval, its vertical diameter ^/^ 

 to nearly equal to the width of the eye. Tips of fingers blunt, 

 of toes slightly swollen ; first finger as long as second, which 

 is slightly longer than fourth ; fifth toe slightly longer than 

 third ; toes webbed at the base ; subarticular tubercles pro- 

 minent ; a small, elliptic inner, no outer metatarsal tubercle; 

 the heel reaches beyond the tip of the snout; tibia -,3 length 

 of head and body. 



Upper parts finely granular; a narrow dermal ridge from 

 the eye to the side of the body, and a few other longitudinal, 

 symmetrical ridges along the back; a transverse fold between 

 the upper eyelids ; lower parts smooth. 



Brown above, indistinctly spotted with darker; usually a 

 black streak on the canthus rostralis and below the outer 

 glandular fold, and another across the interorbital space; limbs 

 with more or less distinct blackish cross-bars ; anal region, 

 border of lower lip and sometimes a series of spots parallel 

 with it on the throat, black ; beneath yellowish or brownish. 



Male with an internal subgular vocal sac ; during the breeding- 

 Indo-australian amphibia. 2 



