79 



THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF NUYTS ARCHIPELAGO AND 



THE INVESTIGATOR GROUP. 



No. 5.— THE LIZARDS. 



By Joan B. Proctor, F.Z.S., British Museum (Nat. Hist.). 



[Read April 12, 1923.] 



(Communicated by Professor F. Wood Jones.) 



Very little is known about the island fauna of this region, and the present 

 collection, which was made chiefly in Nuyts Archipelago and the Investigator 

 Group, is therefore interesting. Many of the mainland species which one would 

 have expected to find in the islands were not obtained, and probably do not 

 occur. Examples of twelve species were collected, several of which are ex- 

 tremely rare, and one of which is new. The latter I have named after Prof. 

 Wood Jones, who has kindly presented the whole collection to the British 

 Museum. 



For the sake of brevity, the only references given are: — (1) The original 

 description of the species. (2) Boulenger's, in his Catalogue of Lizards. '^^^ 

 (3) Zietz's Catalogue of Australian Lizards,'^'^^ to which useful work the reader 

 is referred for information on the distribution and synonomy of each species 

 and the bibliography of the subject. 



Geckonidae. 



1. PhyUodactyliis marmoratiis. Gray, Cat., 1845, p. 149; Boulenger, B.M. 

 Cat. Liz., vol. i., p. 88, pi. vii., fig. 6; Zietz, Cat. Austr. Liz., p. 185. 



Two specimens from South Neptune Island and five from Black Rock. 

 Occurs also on Franklin Island, Pearson Islands, and Price Island. Already 

 known to inhabit Kangaroo Island ; it has a wide distribution on the mainland. 



Pygopodidae. 



2. Dclma fraseri. Gray, Zool. Misc., 1831, p. 14; Boulenger, op. c, vol. i., 

 p. 243; Zietz, op. c, p. 192. 



Three specimens from St. Francis Island. Known from all parts of 

 Australia. 



3. Lialis burtoni. Gray, P.Z.S., 1834, p. 134; Boulenger, op. r., vol. i., 

 p. 247; Zietz, op. c, p. 193. 



One specimen from St. Francis Island, beautifully marked ^^^^ with five dark 

 longitudinal bands above ; six cream-coloured bands beneath, with a series of 

 fine cream-coloured speckles between each. Scales in 21 rows. 



Known from all parts of Australia and New Guinea. 



Agamidae. 



4. Aniphiboluriis decresii. Dum. and Bibr., Erp. Gen., 1837, vol. iv., p. 472, 

 pi. xli., fig 1 ; Boulenger, op. c, vol. i., p. 385; Zietz, op. c, p. 196. 



A male and female of this very rare species were caught on Pearson Island. 

 The British Museum possesses but two specimens, both males. 



The new male has longer legs, which, when adpressed, reach to between 

 the eye and the nostril, and a longer tail, more than twice the length of head 



a)Brit. Mus. Cat. Liz., 1885-87. 

 (■-^)Rec. S. Austr. Mus., i. (3), 1920. 

 (v^) Brit. Mus. Cat., var. E. 



