204 Mr. G. A. Boulenger on Tarentola americana. 



XXXI. — Note on Tarentola americana, Gray. 

 By G. A. Boulenger. 



On one of my last visits to the Paris Museum I was 

 enabled, by the courtesy of Prof. Vaillant, to examine the 

 type specimen of the Gecko named Tarentola americana by 

 Gray and Platydactylus Milbertii by Dumdril and Blbron. 

 This specimen, sent by Milbert from New York to the Paris 

 Museum, probably came from some West-Indian Island, — 

 which we cannot say, as the lizard does not appear to have 

 been rediscovered since. It bears most affinity to the Cuban 

 T. cubana, Gundl. & Peters, the type of which I examined 

 in the Berlin Museum {cf. Cat. Liz. iii. p. 490), and the West- 

 African T. Delalandii, l). & B., but represents unquestionably 

 a valid species. As in these species, the supraorbital bone is 

 absent. The tubercles are larger than in T. Delalandii, 

 scarcely keeled, in 12 series on the back ; the enlarged caudal 

 tubercles are smooth and nearly flat. The ear-opening is 

 entirely surrounded by a fringe of converging conical tubercles. 

 The symphysial (mental) shield is about once and a half as 

 long as it is broad in the middle. 



The number of well-defined species of Tarentola has now 

 risen to nine, which may be distinguished by means of the 

 following key : — 



I. Supraocular region bony ; 13 to 20 scales across the head, from eye 

 to eye. 



A. Tail rounded on the sides, elliptical in section. 



Dorsal tubercles strongly keeled 1 . T. mauritanica, L. 



Dorsal tubercles smooth or feebly keeled 2. T. ephippiata, O'Sh. 



B. Tail flat inferiorly, with sharpish lateral edge. 

 Anterior border of ear denticulate .... 3. 7". annularis, Geoffr. 

 Anterior border of ear not denticulate . . A. T. senegalensis, Blgr. 



II. Supraorbital bone present, but small; 10 to 12 scales from eye to 

 eye 5. T. neylecta, Strauch. 



III. No supraorbital bone ; lo to 23 scales from eye to eye. 



A. Anterior border of ear not denticulate ; dorsal tubercles smooth 



or feebly keeled ; symphysial shield at least twice as long as 

 broad in the middle. 

 S^Tnphysial shield not thrice as long as 



broad in the middle 6. T. DelalamUi, D. & E. 



Symphysial shield thrice as long as broad 



in the middle 7. T. gigas, Bucage. 



B. Anterior border of ear denticulate. 

 Symphysial shield about once and a half 



as long as broad in the middle; 



dorsal tubercles very feebly keeled. 8. T. americano, Lirny. 

 Symphysial shield about twice as long as 

 broad in the middle ; dorsal 

 tubercles strongly keeled 0. T.cuhann, Gundl. >.^- Peters. 



