xin, D, 5 Taylor: Reptiles of Sulu Archipelago 243 



Description of type. — Head elongate, oviform; snout rather 

 flattened, with a median groove ; rostral more than twice as wide 

 as high, rather low medially above, but raised on each side in 

 front of nostrils; latter surrounded by rostral, first labial, two 

 supranasals, and a large postnasal; the supranasals bordering 

 rostral separated by three equal-sized scales; twelve upper 

 labials ; a row of scales bordering upper labials above, somewhat 

 enlarged; twelve lower labials; the mental longer but narrower 

 than adjacent scales; a group of enlarged shields under point 

 of chin, the three pairs following the mental largest ; almost all 

 enlarged scales are anterior to a line drawn across chin from 

 the sutures between fourth and fifth labials ; granules on throat 

 small, about equal to those on occiput and somewhat irregular 

 in size; scales on belly cycloid, imbricate; in the preanal region 

 a long series of preanal scales angular medially ; tail much wider 

 than deep, rounding above, noticeably narrowed at the base; 

 flattened below with indications of a slightly sharp, dimly ser- 

 rated lateral edge, the scales arranged in transverse rows, those 

 above much smaller than those below, the annulations only 

 dimly marked; limbs fairly well developed; digits well devel- 

 oped, except inner, which lacks the distal phalanx and claw; 

 digits slightly wider distally ; about ten lamellae under inner toe, 

 the outer single, the five following divided by a median suture; 

 fifteen under fourth toe, five outer divided; diameter of eye 

 contained in distance from eye to snout two and one-fifth times ; 

 eye to ear much less than distance from eye to end of snout. 



Color in life. — Above russet to darker brown with numerous 

 darker, narrow, zigzag lines, nine or ten from occiput to base 

 of tail, with lighter areas between them, broad darker bands on 

 tail, about eight to tip ; a dark brown line from nostril through 

 eye, which broadens slightly and continues some distance on 

 neck; a yellow line above the brown, quite distinct behind eye; 

 a row of yellow spots dorsolaterally from neck to base of tail; 

 a few yellow fiecks laterally; below yellowish, speckled with 

 brown ; variegated reddish brown on underside of tail. 



Measurements of Lepidodactylus divergens sp. nov. 



mm. 



Total length 80 



Snout to foreleg * 16.5 



Snout to vent 41.5 



Tail 38.5 



Axilla to groin 20 



Width of head 7.3 



Length of head 12 



Foreleg 11.2 



Hind leg 16.2 



