﻿472 6. HELODERMATIDSE 



p. 63; Vorhies, Univ. Ariz. Agric. Exper. Station Bull. No. 83, 

 '9'7> P- 3^5) fig-; Van Denburch & Slevin, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., 

 Ser. 4, Vol. XI, 1921, p. 28. 



Description. — Head and body depressed, large, heavily- 

 built, with short limbs and tail. Upper surface of head 

 broad, flat, and covered with large, irregular, convex, bony 

 tubercles. Snout rounded. Temporal regions swollen. 

 Nostrils large, opening laterally between three plates. Eye 

 rather small. Ear-opening large, elliptical, oblique, and 

 overhung by temple. Rostral and symphyseal plates large. 

 A pair of internasals. Three pairs of plates behind sym- 

 physeal. Gular region and fold with small round or oval, 

 convex or flattened tubercles, changing gradually into the 

 plates of the belly. Body, limbs, and tail covered above 

 and laterally with nearly equal-sized, round, smooth, con- 

 vex tubercles separated by granules. Lateral tubercles 

 passing gradually into smooth, flat, squarish plates in trans- 

 verse rows on lower surfaces of body and tail. Digits with 

 transverse plates above and below. A pair of enlarged 

 plates in front of anus. 



Probably no two specimens show just the same pattern 

 of coloration. The top of the head, the body and limbs 

 are variously marbled, banded, or reticulated with orange or 

 salmon and black or brown. The chin, throat, snout, and 

 sides of head are usually of the dark color with few if any 

 orange or salmon-colored tubercles. The markings on the 

 tail frequently form transverse bars or rings. The belly 

 is orange or salmon and black or brown, tessellated. 



