216 



51. Platurus Daudin. 

 (DAUDIN, Kept. VII p. 223, 1803). 



Nostrils lateral; eye small; pupil round; nasals separated 

 by internasals; head-shields large; praeocular present; loreal 

 absent. Maxillary teeth two large fangs separated from one 

 or two small teeth. Body long, covered with smooth, imbricate 

 scales in 19 25 rows; ventrals large. Tail strongly compressed. 



Distribution. Indian Ocean and West Pacific Ocean. 



Key to the species. 



A. Rostral in contact with five shields; scales in 



21 23 rows i, P. schistorhynchus p. 216. 



B. Rostral in contact with six shields. 



I. Frontal in contact with six shields; scales 



in 19 rows 2. P. laticaudatus p. 217. 



II. Frontal in contact with seven shields; scales 



in 21 25 rows 3. P. colubrinus p. 217. 



i. Platurus schistorhynchus Gunther. 



Platurus schistorhynchus, Gunther, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1874, p. 297, pi. XLV, fig. A. 

 Platurus schistorhynchus, Boulenger, Cat. Sn. Ill 1896, p. 309. 



Rostral more broad than deep, in contact with five shields; 

 praefrontals with a third shield in a transverse row, not reaching 

 the labials; frontal longer than the parietals, in contact with 

 seven shields; supraoculars entire; parietals entire; nasals lateral, 

 in contact with the three anterior labials; one prae- and two 

 postoculars; temporals small, 2 + 3; seven upper labials, third 

 and fourth entering the eye; anterior chin-shields distinct, 

 posterior indistinct and separated. Scales smooth, in 21 23 

 rows; ventrals 178 200, three or more times as broad as the 

 last row of scales, the last one or two often divided, the 

 posterior with a median keel; anal divided. 



Yellowish or greyish above, with blackish bands, 25 45 

 annuli. Lower surface yellowish. Length of head and body 

 1195 mm.; tail 114 mm. 



Habitat: Java; E. Flores!; Pulu Kambing in Lobetobi 

 strait!; Ambon!; New Guinea (Bertrand Island on the north 

 coast). Loo Choo Islands; Savage Island; Society Islands; 

 Samoa. 



