380 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM VOL. 92 
3. A median prefrontal; Pacific slopes, Chiapas into Guatemala 
smithii smithii * 
INo. median: prefrontal..2. -—.=. ee ee eee 4 
4, Scales in posterior temporal region (anterior to ear) minute and very uniform 
in size, except for a series of relatively large, projecting auricular lobules 
and a row of larger scales beside the upper temporals; whorls on tail rela- 
tively little differentiated ; Atlantic slopes, probably from southern San Luis 
Potosi to northern Veracruz; type locality Jalpan, Querétaro. 
smithii occulor 
Scales in posterior temporal region (anterior to ear) larger, irregular in size; 
auricular lobules poorly defined or absent; no scales bordering upper 
temporals; tail whorls strongly differentiated; Pacific slopes, Isthmus of 
Tehuantepecs a. 23 2 ae Se es a eae smithii tehuanae 
5. All whorls on tail complete, none restricted to dorsal surface__---__- gaigeae 
Some of scale whorls on tail restricted to dorsal surface_____-__-_-_---_-_- 6 
6. Only one row of scales on ventral surface between the whorls of en- 
larged scales (i. e., every third whorl restricted to dorsal surface) —-__- 7 
Two proximally, three distally, rows of scales on ventral surface between the 
whorlsvotienlarced scales. 222. Sawin ae ee ee eee sylvatica 
7. Numerous, very closely approximated, enlarged, keeled scales, separated by 
small granules, present on sides of body; two or three rows of granules in 
VEKtCD alli TOGt OM ees teu stie ate ret Sense eens Rees eee ee rte ees radula 
Dorsal scales practically uniform in size; four rows of granules in vertebral 
ST (OT ee ee ae nee ee ee dontomasi 
6.—THE MEXICAN SUBSPECIES OF DRYMOBIUS MARGARITIFERUS 
I first observed that very easily recognizable differences occur in 
Mexican Drymobius margaritiferus when my wife and I were collect- 
ing in the vicinity of La Esperanza, Chiapas, in April and May of 
1940, as guests of Mr. and Mrs. Eizi Matuda. Although we had col- 
lected Drymobius in most of the provinces in Mexico where it occurs, 
and had never before had any hesitancy whatever in identifying 
margaritiferus as such at first sight, the specimens we collected in 
southern Chiapas were so different that at first we did not recognize 
them at all, and only after capturing several sepcimens did we realize 
they might be close to the familiar Drymobius margaritiferus of 
areas to the north. 
Subsequent study of these and other Mexican specimens revealed no 
significant differences in scutellation, but did verify the remarkable 
differences in color and pattern that we had observed in the field. 
An overlooked synonym of smithii is the monotypic Akleistops guatemalensis Miiller, 
Verh. Naturf. Ges. Basel, vol. 6, pp. 390-898, pls. 1-2, 1878. It is also to be noted that 
the “Tehuantepec” types may or may not be typical smithii as described and figured by 
Bocourt. This author mentions six specimens of his new form, four from ‘‘Tehuantepec” 
(Sumichrast) and two from the west coast of Guatemala. However, the species is both 
described and figured with a median frontonasal, and no specimens are mentioned without 
one. It must be concluded that the ‘Tehuantepec’ specimens either are not from the 
vicinity of Tehuantepec city but from the extreme eastern part of the Isthmus (near or in 
Chiapas), or that the seale is actually absent, since Bocourt, paying no great attention to 
the presence or absence of it, neglected to specifically describe its nature. In view of 
the doubt concerning the nature of the “Tehuantepec” types, I believe it best to restrict 
the name to the form best characterized by his description and figure, and to the cotype 
from Guatemala, which beyond question belongs to the same race as the large series 
available from the vicinity of La Esperanza, Chiapas. 
