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  DISCOGLOSSIDJE. 
  

  

  fairly 
  distinctive 
  of 
  the 
  whole 
  family, 
  tlie 
  structure 
  of 
  

   the 
  urogenital 
  apparatus, 
  together 
  with 
  other 
  cha- 
  

   racters, 
  give 
  ample 
  foundation 
  to 
  this 
  proposition. 
  

  

  This 
  family 
  comprises 
  only 
  four 
  genera. 
  Three 
  are 
  

  

  confined 
  to 
  the 
  Palgearctic 
  region 
  and 
  represented 
  in 
  

  

  Europe; 
  the 
  fourth, 
  Liopelma, 
  Fitzinger, 
  closely 
  allied 
  

  

  to 
  Alytes, 
  is 
  the 
  only 
  representative 
  of 
  the 
  Batrachians 
  

  

  in 
  New 
  Zealand. 
  The 
  range 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  dealt 
  with 
  

  

  in 
  this 
  work 
  is 
  shown 
  on 
  the 
  accompanying 
  map. 
  

  

  The 
  European 
  genera 
  are 
  distinguished 
  as 
  follows 
  : 
  

  

  Tympanum 
  present, 
  . 
  distinct 
  or 
  hidden 
  ; 
  pupil 
  

  

  roundish 
  or 
  triangular; 
  diapophyses 
  of 
  sacral 
  

  

  vertebra 
  moderately 
  dilated 
  . 
  1. 
  Disco 
  gloss 
  as. 
  

  

  Tympanum 
  absent 
  ; 
  pupil 
  roundish 
  or 
  triangular 
  ; 
  

  

  diapophyses 
  of 
  sacral 
  vertebra 
  very 
  strongly 
  

  

  dilated 
  2. 
  Bontblnator. 
  

  

  Tympanum 
  distinct 
  ; 
  pupil 
  vertical; 
  diapophyses 
  

   of 
  sacral 
  vertebra 
  strongly 
  dilated. 
  

  

  3. 
  Alijtes, 
  

  

  The 
  relationships 
  of 
  these 
  three 
  genera 
  cannot 
  be 
  

   well 
  expressed 
  in 
  a 
  linear 
  arrangement 
  Discoglossus 
  

   is 
  unquestionably 
  the 
  most 
  generalised, 
  and 
  Bojiihinat 
  or 
  

   and 
  Alijtes 
  are 
  almost 
  equally 
  related 
  to 
  it, 
  the 
  latter 
  

   being, 
  on 
  the 
  whole, 
  more 
  afSne 
  to 
  Discoglossus 
  than 
  

   to 
  Bomhinator, 
  especially 
  with 
  regard 
  to 
  the 
  osteological 
  

   characters. 
  

  

  1. 
  Discoglossus. 
  

  

  Otth, 
  Neue 
  Denkschr. 
  allgem. 
  Schweiz. 
  Naturf. 
  Ges., 
  i, 
  1837, 
  p. 
  6. 
  

  

  Pupil 
  roundish 
  or 
  triangular. 
  Vomerine 
  teeth 
  in 
  

   long 
  transverse 
  series 
  behind 
  the 
  choana. 
  Tongue 
  

   circular, 
  entire, 
  scarcely 
  free 
  behind. 
  Tympanum 
  

   more 
  or 
  less 
  distinct 
  or 
  concealed 
  under 
  the 
  skin. 
  

   Fingers 
  free, 
  toes 
  webbed 
  ; 
  outer 
  metatarsals 
  separated 
  

   by 
  web. 
  Diapophyses 
  of 
  sacral 
  vertebra 
  moderately 
  

   dilated. 
  Urostyle 
  articulated 
  to 
  two 
  condyles. 
  

  

  A 
  single 
  species, 
  confined 
  to 
  the 
  western 
  parts 
  of 
  

   the 
  Palgearctic 
  reoion. 
  

  

  