123. DASTPEtTIS. 353 



Anoplophalltis. 



Megalops [rum Lac4p.), Hallow. Proc. Ac. Fhilad. 1860, p. 488. 

 Anoplophallus, Cope, Am. Nat. 1893, p. 480. 



"Mandibular teeth increasing in length posteriorly, recurved, 

 nearly straight ; two ihternasals, much smaller than the prsefrontals ; 

 frontal a little longer than broad, pentangular ; £i frenal [loreal] ; 

 two antoculars ; two postoculars ; eye resting on the fourth supra- 

 labial ; pupil ovoid ; eyes very prominent ; body slender, much 

 compressed ; abdomen angular ; tail rather short." (Rallowell). " A 

 long loreal and no preocular plate." {Cope.) 



A. MAOULATTJS. 



Megalops maculatus. Hallow. I. c. 



"21 rows of smooth scales; body presenting numerous sub- 

 quadrangular and oblique blotches above, of a brown colour ; inter- 

 mediate spaces white with a tinge of yellow ; under surface white. 

 Abdominal scuta 170 ; a bifid praeanal ; 61 subcaudal scutellse." 



Total length 375 miUim. ; tail 95. 



Tahiti. 



Subfam. 3. liHACHIODONTINJE. 



Leptognathiens, part., JDumiril, Mdm. Ac. Sc. xxiii. p. 464, 1853 ; 



bum4ril ^ Bibron, Erp. Gin. vii. p. 25, 1854. 

 Eachiodontidae, Oiinther, Cat. Col. Sn. p. 141, 1858. 

 Rachiodontidae, Jan, Elenco sist. Ofld. p. 106, 1863. 

 Dasypeltinse, part., Cope, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. xxiii. 1886, p. 494. 



Only a few teeth, on the posterior part of the maxillary and 

 dentary bones and on the palatines. Some of the anterior thoracic 

 vertebrsB with the hypapophysis much developed, directed forwards, 

 and capped with enamel. 



A single genus. 



123.VDASYPELTIS. ^^^^ / 



Anodon (non Lam.), Smith, Zool. Journ. iv. 1829, p. 443. ' 



Dasypeltis, Wagler, Syst. Amph. p. 178 (1830) ; Chunth. Cat. Col Sn. 



p. 141 (1858). 

 Rachiodon, Jourdan, Le Temps, 13. 6. 1833 (?) ; Bum. Sf Bibr. Erp. 



Gin. vii. p. 487 (1854) ; Jan, Elenco sist. Ofid. p. 106 (1863). 

 Tropidonotus, part., Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 297 (1837). 

 Deirodon, Owen, Odontogr. p. 220 (1845). 



Teeth very small, few, 3 to 7 in each maxillary, and as many in 

 the mandible ; palatine but no pterygoid teeth. Head small, not 

 or scarcely distinct from neck ; no mental groove ; eye moderate, 

 with vertically elliptic pupil ; nostril in a semidivided nasal, which 

 is in contact with the praeocular ; no loreal. Body cylindrical or 

 slightly compressed, elongate ; scales strongly keeled, with apical 



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