IV 



COECILIIDAE 89 



Fossil Apoda are not known ; their subterranean life does 

 not favour preservation. 



Only family, Coeciliidae. About forty species are known. 

 These have been placed in seventeen genera, mostly on .com- 

 paratively slight grounds, and several of these genera are probably 



\ ^ 



I COECILIAE. 



FIG. 14. Map showing the distribution of the Coeciliae or Amphibia Apoda. 



unnatural, the distinctive characters having undoubtedly been 

 developed independently in various countries. We have to 

 remember that the recent species are the remainder of a formerly 

 much more numerous group ; it is also likely that more will be 

 discovered in the tropical forests of South America and Sumatra. 

 Boulenger l has distinguished them as follows : 



I. Cycloid scales embedded in the skin. 

 A. Eyes distinct, or concealed under the skin, 

 a. Two series of teeth in the lower jaw. 



a. Quadrato-jugal (squamosal) and parietal bones in contact. 

 Tentacle between eye and nostril. 



Ichthyophis, 2 species, India and Malay islands, p. 90. 

 below and behind nostril. 



Hypogeophis, 3 species, East Africa and Seychelles, p. 92. 

 ,, below and in front of eye. 



Dermophis, 5 species, America and Africa, p. 93. 

 below the nostril. Coecilia, 6 species, America. 

 j3. Quadrato-jugal separated from parietal. 



Tentacle close to the eye. Rhinatrema, 2 species, America. 

 ,, below and behind nostril. 



Geotrypetes, 1 species, West Africa. 

 below nostril. 



Uraeotyphlus, 3 species, West Africa and India. 

 6. One series of teeth in the lower jaw. 

 Tentacle in front of the eye. 



Cryptopsophis, 1 species, Seychelles. 



1 P. Z. S. 1895, p. 401. 



