OCR Text |
Show 1881.] LACERTA AND ACANTHODACTYLUS. 741 ZOOTOCA DESERTI, Gunther, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 470. As has been supposed by Lataste \ this species belongs to the genus Acanthodactylus. ZOOTOCA TRISTRAMI, Gunther, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 491, is likewise an Acanthodactylus. ZOOTOCA DANFORDI, Gunther, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 818. Doubts having been expressed by Bedriaga2 as to the distinctness of Podarcis judaica, Camerano ( = Lacerta Icevis, Gray), from Z. danfordi, I think it useful to give a detailed description of the fine specimens in the British Museum. From this it will appear that the species are, without doubt, perfectly distinct from each other. Shape and general proportions as in L. muralis, var. neopolitana, hut the neck a little thicker, as broad as the head (in the adult L. lavis the neck is broader than the head). Postnasals 2, regularly superposed; upper labials 7 or 8, 5 before, and 2 or 3 behind the infraocular; 6 or 7 lower labials; 5 pairs of chin-shields, the 3 anterior in contact. The woodcut accompanying Gunther's description represents the mental divided into two ; this is a mistake, as not one out of the nine specimens shows any thing of the kind. Boettger 3 is therefore wrong when, judging from this drawing, he assigns 6 chin-shields to L. danfordi, and mentions this amongst the characters differentiating this Lizard from L. judaica. Temple covered with small granular scales, either without or with a very small masseteric plate (in L. Icevis this plate is always present, and very large) ; a curved tympanic plate, similar to that of L. muralis and L. Icevis. Occipital plate not broader than interparietal (broader than interparietal in L. Icevis). The collar has its free edge even, and is formed of 9 or 10 plates. Dorsal scales round, granular, perfectly smooth, even on the hinder part of the back (hexagonal and distinctly keeled on the hinder part of the back in L. Icevis) ; three transverse series correspond to a ventral plate. 23 to 27 pectoral plates. Six longitudinal and 24 to 27 transverse rows of ventral plates, the two central longitudinal rows narrower than the others ; sometimes an additional series of smaller plates on each side (22 to 25 transverse rows in L. Icevis). Anal plate small, much smaller than in L. Icevis, surrounded by two rows of small plates. Femoral pores, 21-25 in c?, 19-21 in $ (the specimens of L. Icevis in the British Museum possess 20-21 in S, 16-17 in $ ). An important sexual character, which I have not met with in any other Lacerta, is the great dilatation, in the males, of two scales at the base of the tail at a short distance from the vent, similar to the sexual scales of many Iguanidse. Scutellation of the tail as in L. muralis and L. laivis. The coloration (in spirits) is also different from that of L. muralis, var. fusca and L. Icevis, to both of which it bears, however, at first sight, great resemblance. Upper surface greenish brown. Head i ' Le Naturaliste,' 1881, p. 358. a Arch. f. Naturg. 1879, p. 312. 3 Ber. Senckenb. Gtes. 1879-1880, p. 172. |