I'OLYPEUIIDa!. 



385 



Fam. 4. TOLYPEUTIDtE. 



The dorsal disk only united to the hody by the centre of the back, 

 free from the hairy skin on the sides. The scapular, and pelvic 

 shields large, convex, separated by three free central rings. Feet 

 ■weak ; front with elongated unequal claws, on the tips of which the 

 animal walks ; hind feet club-shaped, with flat ovate nails ; palms 

 and soles covered vsdth plates. Tail short. Skull attached to the 

 frontal shield by two or more bony prominences. Sphcerodhlamydes. 



Tolypeutina, Gray, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 361. 



The animal has the power of bending the body so as to form a 

 nearly perfect sphere, the shield on the head and the short tuber- 

 cular tail filling up the aperture occasioned by the notches in the 

 scapular and pelvic shields. It walks on the small end of the 

 elephant-like hind feet, and on the tips of the slender, elongated, 

 middle claws of the fore feet. 



TOLYPEUTES. 



Head with a flat frontal shield, hinder edge prominent ; ears gra- 

 nular. Frontal shield narrow, produced above the head, and trun- 

 cated behind. Nape without any plates. Scapular and pelvic shields 

 large, convex ; central rings three, free. Tail conical ; base broadly 

 expanded ; end conical, rather compressed ; under surface convex. 

 Toes 4 before, 5 behind ; inner and outer small ; front claws 

 unequal ; two middle elongate, larger The hind feet small ; toes 

 indistinct, united; claws ovate, flat, nearly like the human naU. 

 Skull elongate, slender; nose conical; intermaxillary toothless. 

 Teeth large. 



Osteology.— Gvly. Oss. Foss. v. p. 123 ; Turner, P. Z. S. 1851, 

 p. 215. 



Apar, Oeoff. Compt. Rend. 1847, xxiv. p. 572. 



Cheloniscus, Fob. Column. 



Tolypeutes, Illiger, Prod. 1811 ; Oray, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 379. 



The underside of the body covered with long bristly hairs ; the 

 outer plate of the moveable rings thin, with a frill of elongate rigid 

 hairs on the outer edge. The bodies of the males are less ventricose 

 and more elongate than those of the females ; the hair on the under- 

 side of the males is grey, in the females it is blackish ; the male 

 organ is very large and, when contracted, cylindrical and pendulous. 

 They are very active, runniag with rapidity, but looking very in- 

 secure, on their slender liinbs. They are called " Tatu bola " by the 

 Brazilians. 



2c 



