ON THE FAMILIES OF THE RANIFORM ANURA. 191 



Epicoracoidei present ; sacrum distinct from coccygeal style, with 



cylindrical diapophyses. Three lobes of the liver, . . . Dendrobatidce. 

 II. Ranoid Raniformia. 



Maxillary and premaxillary bones furnished with teeth. Fronto-parietal bones 

 ossified above. 

 Epicoracoid present; xiphisternum and manubrinum wanting. 



Three lobes of the liver, ........ Colostethidge. 



Epicoracoid present; xiphisternum and manubrium present, osseous. 



Three lobes of the liver, . ...... Ranidse. 



BREVIGIPITIDyE mihi. 

 I. Prefrontals widely separated; ethmoid arch not ossified. 

 A fronto-parietal fontanelle ; ear perfectly developed ; toes free ; no 



parotoid glands; head not distinct from body, .... Breviceps. 



BREVICEPS Merrem. 

 The only genus of the family, embracing three species in South and West Africa. 



B. verrucosus Rapp, Erichson's Arch. f. Naturg. 1842, 289, tab.; Smith, 111. S. 

 Afr. ; Gthr. Catal. 

 Habitat. South Africa. 



B. gibbosus Merrem, Tent. 178; Gravenhorst ; Dum. Bibr. ; Smith; Giinther. 

 Rana gihhosa Linn. Systoma breviceps Wagler. 

 Habitat. South Africa. 



13. m s s a m b i c u s Peters, in Wiegm. Archiv. f. Naiurg. 1855, 58. 

 Well distinguished from the preceding species. 

 Habitat. Mozambique. 



ENOYSTOMID^ mihi. 



I. Ethmoid arch not ossified ; prefrontals widely separated. 



A. A fronto-parietal fontanelle ; terminal phalanges with 

 transverse limb. 

 Ear perfectly developed; toes free ; no metatarsal shovel, . . Phrynojtaxtis. 



II. Ethmoid arch ossified; prefrontals fully developed, in con- 

 tact with each other and fronto-parietals ; latter complete. 



A. Terminal phalanges with transverse limb, anteriorly at 

 least. 

 ^' No tympanum or cavum tympani ; eustachian ostia minute." Toes 



webbed, Microhyla. 



