308 



LOWER VERTEBRATES. 



94 



The Amphiumidje are snake-like creatures which differ from the allied families in 

 some characters of the skull. There are two genera, Amphinma and Murmnopsis, 

 the former with two, the latter with three toes on the rudimental limbs. Both have a 



Fig. 175. — Siren tacertina, mud-eel. 



slit communicating with the pharyngeal cavity on each side. The Amphinma memis 

 occurs in the southeastern states of North America, while the Murcenqpsis tridactyla 

 ranges as far as the borders of Texas. These are the only species of the family. 

 They look very much alike, with their rather acute extremities and dark color. They 

 live in the bayous and muddy ditches of the flat coast countries. 



There are but two genera of the Peotonopsidje ; Protonopsis, of North America, 

 and Megalobatrachus, of Asia. These are salamander-like animals with four well-devel- 

 oped but short limbs. There are branchial slits in the American genus, but none in 

 the Asiatic form. There are but two species of Protonopsis, P. horrida and P.fus- 



