A MONOGRAPH OF THE SEA-SNAKES (HYDROPHIINJE ). 



185 



Platurus laticaudatus (Linnaeus). 1 



Coluber laticaudatus, Linn. Mas. Ad. Fred., 1754, p. 31, pi. xvi, fig. 1. 

 Platurns laticaudatus, Boulgr. in Blanford, Fauna Ind. Reft., 1890, p. 395 and 



fig. and Cat. iii, 1896, p. 307. 

 ,, Sclater, List Snakes Ind. Mus., 1891, p. 61. 



, , Wall in Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1903, pp. 96 and 101. 



fischeri, Giinther, Rept. Brit. Ind. 1864, p. 356, pi. xxv, fig. A. 

 i} ,, Jan, Icon. Gen., 1872, livr. 40, pi. 1, fig. 2. 



yi ,, Fayrer, Thanat. Ind., 1874, pi. xix. 



, , muelleri, Boulgr., Cat. iii, 1896, p. 309. 

 ? ,, affinis, Anderson in Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1871, p. 190. 



Fig. 2. — Platurns laticaudatus (nat. size). 



Description. Rostral , — touches six shields, the rostro-labial suture is much the 

 largest; portion visible above about onefourth the internasal suture. Inter- 

 nasals, — a pair. Prse frontal s, — two; not in contact with any supralabial 

 Frontal, — touches six shields; the fronto-parietal sutures largest. Supraoculars, — 

 single; from \ to f the length, and breadth of the frontal Parietals, — entire. 

 Nasals, — lateral; in contact with the first and second supralabials. Prse oculars, — 

 one. Postoculars, — two. Temporals,— one. Supralabials, — seven or eight ; 

 the third and fourth touching the eye (the fourth only in one specimen on one side) . 

 Inf r alabia Is, — the fifth is the largest of the series, and in contact with three 

 scales behind. Marginals, — a complete row after the second or third infralabial 

 usually (the first rarely). Sublinguals, — two pairs in contact with their fel- 

 lows. Costals, — anteriorly 19, midbody 19, posteriorly 17; smooth; imbricate; 

 the vertebrals are enlarged where the costals number 17. Ventra Is, — 210 to 246 three 

 or more times as broad as the last costal row ; with a more or less distinct lateral 

 obtuse keel in the basal half of each shield ; sometimes with an obtuse median keel 

 posteriorly; the last shield sometimes divided. Anal, — divided. Colour, — alter- 

 nately banded with dark brown, and yellowish, or greyish. The bands well defined, 

 and the dark rather broader. 



Habitat. Bay of Bengal, through the Malayan Region, China, Loo Choos, Philip- 

 pines to New Guinea and Australia (Van Diemen's Land, Giinther). 



i I did not see the type-specimen said to be in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, nor does Sclater mention it in his List 

 (189 1, p. 61.) It may prove to be the specimen figured by Fayrer, pi. xix. 



