236 DR. J. E. GRAY ON A NEW LIZARD. [Juiie 9, 



7. Description of a New Lizard obtained by Mr. Henry 

 Carter on the South-east Coast of Arabia. By Dr. 

 J. E. Gray, F.R.S., etc. 



(Plate XX.) 



Mr. Carter, so well known for his researches on the Foraminlfera, 

 Sponges, and Microscopic Vegetables of India, has lately sent us, 

 with a series of his different species of Spongilla of India, three dried 

 Lizards from the south-east coast of Arabia. One of these is a young 

 Uromastix ; the others belong to an aberrant form of Geckoid Lizards, 

 distantly allied to Phyllurus, which has not before occurred to me, 

 and which we certainly have not in the Museum Collection. It is 

 peculiar for having its tail flattened horizontally, and fringed ou 

 each side with linear elongated spreading scales. The scales of the 

 body are minute and vmiform in size. I propose to call this genus 



Spatalura. 



Head short, high. Nostrils oblong, transverse, on the upper sur- 

 face of the nose, just above the labial shields. The eyes large, with 

 a slightly projecting scaly ridge above, separated from the orbit, and 

 forming a kind of shade. Ears open, deep. Labial shields distinct, 

 few, about eight on each side ; the rostral formed of a pair of shields ; 

 the chin-shield single, like the rostrals. Head, body, and limbs 

 covered with uniform small granular scales ; femoral and preanal 

 pores none. Limbs elongate, slender. Foot elongate. Toes elon- 

 gate, compressed, very slender ; the upper side with distinct cross 

 plates ; the sole with granular scales. Tail slender, oblong, depressed, 

 not so long as the body, covered above and below with scales similar 

 to, but rather larger and more keeled than, those of the body, and 

 with a fringe on each side of crowded, elongated, slender, linear 

 scales, with some smaller ones at their base. 



This genus differs from all the other naked slender-toed Geckoid 

 Lizards in the form of the tail ; and it is also remarkable among these 

 animals for the uniform granular character of the scales, the height 

 of the head, and the slenderness of its legs and feet, which give it 

 much the external appearance of some of the species of AnoKs, which 

 are without any dorsal crest ; but it is easily known from them by 

 the large-sized open eyes, destitute of any eyelids. 



Spatalura carteri. (PI. XX., fig. 2.) 



Pale grey (dry from spirits) above, whitish beneath ; belly of one 

 (male ?) orange ; central part of the back, forearm, and shanks varied 

 with square white spots ; sides with numerous narrow, black-edged, 

 yellow streaks, which are closer together and more visible on the 

 hinder part of the body. 



Hub. Island of Massera, on the eastern coast of Arabia. 



I have great pleasure in naming this beautiful species after Mr. 

 Carter, who has laboured so successfully in extending our knowledge 

 of many obscure Indian animals and plants. 



