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ACANTHOPHIS. 
Acantuopuis, Daudin. 
TrRIGONOCEPHALUS, Oppel? 
CHARACTER GENERICUS. 
Caput obtusum depressum, ovato-trigonum, magnum: 
vertev squamulis imbricatus ; mandibula superior 
dentibus elongatis incurvis acutissimis veneniferis, 
preputio protectis. é 
Abdomen scutis obtectum ; cauda subtus scutigera, 
apicem versus squamulifera, apice aculeato; anus 
inermis, postice limbo squamoso serie simplice. 
ACANTHOPHIS. 
GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Head \arge, ovate-triangulate, obtuse, and depressed, 
the back part above covered with the same kind of scales 
as those of the back: upper jaw, on each side, with long, 
incurved, acute, and poisonous teeth, covered (at the base 
at least,) with a retractile fleshy socket. 
Belly with broad and undivided scales ; under part of the 
tail with undivided broad scales, like those of the belly, but 
towards the point they are divided, and form a double row, 
set alternately; tip of the tail with a spine-like process ; 
hinder edge of the vent with a single row of scales. 
Before consulting the authors referred to above, I had 
named this genus Ophis, and the species acanthurus ; and 
although the term dcanthophis be adopted from having the 
right of priority, yet it is not used without some doubts 
of its stability as a generic name; the sting-like process at 
the extremity of the tail, seeming to be rather an indica- 
tion of specific than of generic distinction; but this can 
only be determined from the discovery of other species. 
