DISCOGLOSSUS PICTUS, 243 



Discoglossus pictus. 



Discoglossus picttis, Dum. et Bib. vol. viii. p. 425 ; Scuraz, Europ. 

 Faun. toI. ii. p. 70 ; Buon. Faun. Ital. (figured). 



Description. — Body much depressed, more so than in any 

 other species of the European Ranidas, its outline nearly 

 oval ; the end of the muzzle sometimes pointed, sometimes 

 obtuse, the latter form constituting a variety described by 

 Prince Buonaparte and M. Tschudi as a distinct species, 

 under the name of D. Sardus ; the upper surface is either 

 smooth, or with small scattered tubercles varying in number 

 and size ; the hinder portion of the upper eyelid wrinkled 

 transversely ; a row of glands runs from the eye to the 

 shoulder ; in the males, during the breeding season, not only 

 the thumbs, but also a considerable portion of the chin and 

 belly are covered with small, thickly-set, rough, black 

 points ; the fore-legs (which are stouter in the males than 

 in the females), when stretched along the sides, reach half- 

 way down the thighs ; the hind-legs, placed in the same 

 way, extend beyond the nose by the entire length of the 

 foot ; the palm of the fore-foot has two tubercles ; the range 

 of palatal teeth is slightly undulating, in some individuals 

 as long as the palate is wide, and always, though very 

 ^lightly, interrupted ; the lower parts are thinly sprinkled 

 with very fine granules ; these become larger between the 

 gape and shoulder and under the jaws. 



Length of the body, about 2\ inches. 



There are many variations in its colouring. The body is 

 marbled with grey, brown, or reddish. 



Var. A. All the upper surface marbled with large brown 

 or black spots, rounded or oblong, often confluent ; on the 

 hind-legs are transverse bands of the same colour ; on the 

 crown of the head is a triangular mark, sometimes divided 

 into two parts, and on the tympanum usually a long dark 

 spot. 



m2 



