CALLOPHIS. 003 



Genus CALLOPHIS, 

 Gray, 111. Ind. Zool. ii, 1834 (name only) ; Giinth. P. Z. S. 1859, p. 81. 



Poison-fangs with a distinct groove anteriorly ; no solid maxil- 

 lary teeth. Head not distinct from neck, with large shields ; no 

 loreal. Eye small, with round pupil. Body cylindrical, slender. 

 Scales smooth, equal, in 13 rows. Tail short ; subcaudals in 

 pairs. 



Fig. 113. Head of Callophis macclettandii. 



Distribution. East Indies, Southern China, and Japan. Seven 

 species are known, five of which occur in India and Burma. 



This genus differs from the South- African and Tropical- American 

 Elaps in the presence of a groove along the entire length of the 

 maxillary fangs and in having postfrontal bones. It is completely 

 connected with Bunyarus through Hemibungarus, Peters, in which 

 a solid tooth is present behind the poison-fangs. 



Synopsis of Indian and Burmese Species. 



A. One prse- and two postoculars. 



a. Six upper labials C. trimaculatus, p. 384. 



b. Seven upper labials. 



a'. A single temporal shield ; anterior 

 chin-shields in contact with 4 or 5 

 lower labials. 



a". Subcaudals 21-32 C. maeitliceps, p. 384. 



b". Subcaudals 33-44 C. niyrescens, p. 384. 



b'. Temporals 1+1 ; anterior chin- 

 shields in contact with 3 labials . . C. macclellandii, p. 385. 



B. No prseocular; one postocular C. bibronii, p. 386. 



