﻿598 10. BIPEDIDJE 



Euchirotes biporus Cope, Amer. Nat., 1894, p. 437, figs. 5-5e (type locality, 

 Cape San Lucas, Lower California); Van Denburgh, Proc. 

 Cal. Acad. Sci., (2), V, 1895, p. 135; Cope, Report U.S. Nat. Mus., 

 1898 (1900), p. 680, fig. 140; Van Denburgh & Slevin, Proc. 

 Cal. Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, Vol. XI, 1921, p. 52; Terron, Mem. y 

 Rev. Soc. Cient. Antonio Alzate, Vol. 39, 1921, p. 164. 



Bipes biporus Stejneger & Barbour, Check List N. Amer. Amph. 

 Rept., 1917, p. 72; Nelson, Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci., Vol. XVI, 

 1921, pp. 114, 115. 



Description. — Stout, nearly uniform in diameter, with 

 blunt head and tail. Body and tail covered with small 

 squarish scale-like divisions of the skin arranged in whorls 

 and giving a worm-like aspect. Two well-developed mole- 

 like limbs a short distance behind head. Eyes atrophic. 

 Mouth small. Snout short, rounded and very convex. 

 Limbs very broad and short, with five perfect clawed digits. 

 Larger head plates are a rostral, three labials, a nasal, an 

 ocular, a preocular, two suboculars, a very large prefrontal, 

 and a pair of frontals. There are also two small plates 

 between the third labial and the suboculars. Anus preceded 

 by several rows of granules, in front of which is a trans- 

 verse series of six large plates. A single preanal pore in a 

 large plate in front of the external preanal plate of each side. 



Color, in alcohol, uniform white. Probably pink in life. 



Length to anus 130 178 181 182 



Length of tail 12 15 18 20 24 



Length of head 6 7 7 7 8 



Fore limb 5 7 8 8 8 



Distribution. — This curious degenerate lizard is known 

 only from the Cape Region of Lower California, where it 

 has been taken at La Paz and Cape San Lucas. 



Habits. — Nothing is known of the habits of this species, 

 beyond the fact that it is a burrowing form. 



