444 DiscoGLossro^. 



1. Aster ophrys turpicola. 



Asteroplii-ys turpicola, Oi'inth. Cat. p. 37. 

 Asterophrys turpicola, (MiiU.) Tschudi, I. c. 

 Ceratophrys tui'picola, ScMeg. Ahhilcl. p. 30, pi. 10. f. 4. 



Head very large, angular : upper edge of the eyelid with several 

 dermal appendages. Extremities moderate. Dark lirown above ; 

 lower surfaces lighter, marbled with darker. 



New Guinea. 



The following genus must evidently be referred to this family : 

 but the characters given are insufficient to ascertain its place : — 



Ranaster, Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc, N.8, Wales, ii. 1878, p, 135. 



" Habit rather stout. Head large and rounded. Legs rather 

 short. Fingers and toes tapering and slightly webbed, with tuber- 

 cular pads on the carpal and tarsal bones. Skin smooth. Masillaiy 

 teeth conspicuous, acute, bicuspid, and sub-distant. Vomerine teeth 

 conspicuous and sub-distant, situated on a long, straight, transverse 

 ridge, sharply divided in the middle. Inner nostrils rather large 

 and in fi'ont of the vomerine ridge. Tongue largely notched behind. 

 Tvmpanum distinct. Sacral vertebra dilated. No parotoids." 



B, convexiusculus, Macleay, 1. c. p. 136. — Katow, N. Guinea. 



10. DISCOGLOSSIDiE. 



Discoglossidae, part., Alvtidse, part., Bombiuatoridfe, part,, Giinth. 



Cat. Bat): Sal : Mivarf, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869. 

 Discoglossidae, Cope, Nat. Hist. Rev. 1805, and Journ. Ac. Philad. 



(2) vi. 1806. 

 DiscoglossidjE and Alytidte, Lulaste, Rev. Intern. Sc. 1878, ii. p. 488, 



and Actes Soc. Linn. Bord. xxx. p. 339. 



Upper jaw toothed ; diapophyses of sacral vertebra dilated : short 

 ribs articulated to the anterior diapophyses. 



In the presence of ribs and the opisthocoelian vertebrae, the 

 members of this very natural family closely approach the higher 

 Tailed Batrachians. In their larval state they are also well distin- 

 guished by having the spiraculum situated mesially on the thoracic 

 region, whilst in all the other Phamrorilossa it is situated on the 

 left side. 



The sternal apparatus is the same in all four genera, and re- 

 markable for the shape of the sternum, which forms two slender 

 postero-exteriorly diverging styles. 



The coccyx is furnished at its base with posteriorly diverging 

 diapophyses. In Bomhivator it is attached to one condyle ; in the 

 other genera there are two condyles, 



A more or less extensive fontanelle is present; Bomhinator and 

 Alytes, and perhaps also Liopelma, have true ossa nasalia. 



