58 LACERTID^. 



10. ACANTHODACTYLUS. 



Acantliodactylus (Fifz.), Wicgm. Herp. Me.v. p. 10 ; Dnm. Sf Bihr. 

 T. p. L>05;' Gray, Cat. Liz. p. 3G ; Schreib. Ilerp. Eur. p. 383-, 

 Boxdenq. BnU. Soc. Zool. France, 1878, p. 181 ; Lataste, Ann. Mvs. 

 Genov' (2) ii. 188o, pp. 125, 477. 



Scapteira, part., Grai/, Ann. N. II. i. 1838, p. 280. 



Ida, part., Gray, I. c. p. 281. 



Meroles, part., Gray, I. c. p. 282. 



Head-sliiclds normal, occipital absent. Xostril pierced between 

 two nasals and the first labial. Lower eyelid scaly. Collar more 

 or less distinct. Dorsal scales juxtaposed, or imbricate ; ventrals 

 smooth, slightly imbricate. Digits keeled inferiorly and more or 

 less strongly fringed laterally. Femoral pores. Tail subcylin- 

 drical. 



South of Spain and Portugal ; Africa north of the equator ; 

 South-western Asia eastwards to the Punjab. 



Synopsis of tlie Species. 



I. Posterior dorsal scales very much larger than the anterior, 



strongly imbricate, sharply keeled, passing gradually into the 

 caudals ; not more than 16 longitudinal rows of keeled scales 

 between the hind limbs. 



Snout obtuse ; seldom more than 10 ventral 



plates across the middle of the body. ... 1. hosTcianus, p. 59. 

 Snout acute; 12 or 14 ventral plates across 



the middle of the body 2. cantoris, p. 60. 



II. Posterior dorsal scales but little enlarged. 



A. Not more than 10 ventral plates across the middle of the 

 body, those of the median series much broader than long. 



1. Four supraoculars, forming sutures with one another. 



Dorsal scales very strongly keeled 3. syriacus, p. 61. 



Dorsal scales obtusely keeled ; temporal 



scales not keeled 4. schreiberi, p. 62. 



2. A large anterior supraocular, fre- 



quently separated from the second, 

 by a series of granules ; fourth 

 supraocular broken up into gra- 

 nules ; the hind limb reaches the 

 ear, or beyond 5. micropJiolis, p. 63. 



3. Only two large supraoculars, the first and fourth being 



broken up into small scales or granules ; the hind limb 

 not reaching the ear. 



Upper caudal scales strongly keeled ; the 

 outer edge of the fourth toe strongly 

 pectinate 6. savignyi, p. 63. 



