Acanthodactylus. 37 



A specimen labelled as from Mesopotamia is preserved in the Basle 

 Museum. 



L. cappadoeica has much in common with Lacerta danfordii, as 

 recognized by Werner and by Mehely. It is probably derived from 

 the Podarcis group of the genus Lacerta, whilst the other species of 

 Latastia appear to show greater affinity with Lacerta a. str. How- 

 ever, the black barring on the back and the large blue spots on the 

 sides are features also frequent in Latastia longieaudata, and might 

 be used as an argument against the suggested diphyletic origin of the 

 genus as here understood. 



6. ACANTHODACTYLUS. 



Acanthodactylus, Wiegm. Herp. Mex. p. 10 (1834) ; Dum. & 

 Bibr. Erp. Gen. v, p. 265 (1839) ; Gray, Cat. Liz. p. 36 (1845) ; 

 Schreib. Herp. Eur. p. 383 (1875) ; Bouleng. Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 

 1878, p. 181 ; Lataste, Ann. Mus. Genova (2) ii, 1885, pp. 125, 477 ; 

 Bouleng. Cat. Liz. iii, p. 58 (1887) ; Anders. Zool. Egypt, Eept. 

 p. 147 (1898) ; Bouleng. Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1918, p. 143. 



Scapteira, part.. Gray, Ann. N. H. i, 1838, p. 280. 



Ida, part., Gray, t.c. p. 281. 



Meroles, part.. Gray, t.c. p. 282. 



Head-shields normal, but occipital rudimentary or 

 absent. Nostril pierced between two nasals and the 

 first upper labial. Collar distinct. Dorsal scales small 

 and juxtaposed or large and imbricate; ventral plates 

 feebly imbricate, with truncate posterior border, smooth. 

 Digits cylindrical or feebly compressed, with keeled 

 lamellar scales inferiorly and serrated or pectinate 

 laterally. Femoral pores. Tail long, cylindrical. 



Spain and Portugal, Africa north of the Equator, 

 Southern Asia eastward to North-western India. 



The parietal foramen is constantly present and teeth are absent on 

 the palate. 



Although, from a morphological standpoint, Acanthodactylus is 

 connected with Lacerta through Latastia, it appears quite certain to 

 me that none of the species grouped under the latter genus can be 

 regarded as leading to it. The striation characteristic of most of the 

 Acanthodactylus in their juvenile livery is of a, kind that points to 

 descent from a more primitive type, perhaps related to the genus 



