February 2, 1914 
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I 
Vol. XXVII, pp. 9-12 
PROCEEDINGS 
OF THK 
BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF RASILISCUS 
FROM THE REGION OF THE SIERRA NEVADA 
DE SANTA MARTA, COLOMBIA. 
BY ALEXANDER G. RUTH YEN. 
The specimens of Basiliscus obtained in the Santa Marta Re¬ 
gion by the Bryant M^alker Expedition of the University of 
Michigan differ so markedly from the known forms in the genus 
as to indicate that they belong to a different species. The 
Colombian form is apparently nearest to Basiliscus americanus, 
but it is not described under any of the names usually placed 
in the synonymy of that species. The collection contains 
thirty-seven specimens.* 
Basiliscus barbouri t s{). nov. 
Diagnosis . — Size large; general form, including the dorsal and caudal 
crests, hut excepting the head crest, as in R. americanns. In adult males 
the occipital swellings rounded al)ove, n)eeting in a median groove (thus 
no parietal ridge), and obtusely pointed posteriorly, (phte covering the 
parietal ridge of bone and its cartilaginous extension and not merging 
gradually into the crest. The head crest single, not erect but pendent 
upon the side of the neck, rihhon-like, narrowing rapidly from its base, 
which extends on the median line of the head from a point above or be¬ 
hind the ear opening to the anterior region of the neck, to form a long 
narrow lobe. Base of head crest covered with small, iminted, smooth, 
tubercular, or feebly keeled scales, the upper ones largest; scales of the 
* Since this description was prepared the writer has examined 12 immature speci¬ 
mens in the collection of the ^rnsoum of Comparative Zoolofry, collected by W. W. 
Rrown, Jr., at f'alomina (50nn feet) and La Concepcion (2000 feet) in the Santa iStarta 
^[onntains. While most of the siiecimens are too younj? for .specific indentihea- 
lion, the species is indicated by a, partly prrown male (Cat. No. ()56:j, M. z.) which 
has the form of head crest described for B. barbouri. 
t Named for Kir. Thomas Rarhour, Herpetoloffist in the IMusenm of Comparative 
Zoology. Cambridge, Massachusetts. 
3— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. XXVIL 1914. 
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