×Latastia taylori spec. nov.
(fig. 4)
Latastia boscai (part) Parker, 1932, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, p. 355 (specs,
e-m).
Holotype a male, number 1931.7.20.337, in the British Museum,
from the Buran Valley, 2500 ft. (10°20`N x 49°E); collected by Capt.
R. H. R. Taylor, 17.X.1929.
Head flat, depressed, once and three quarters as long as broad, its
depth a little less than the distance between the tip of the snout and
the anterior corner of the eye, and its length contained 4.25 times in
the length from snout to vent. Nostril pierced between four shields;
upper nasals forming a suture half the length of the fronto-nasal which
is a little broader than long and broader than the internarial space;
prefrontals forming a median suture shorter than that between the
nasals; frontal not grooved, a little longer than its distance from the
rostral, once and two thirds as long as broad; interparietal not quite
twice as long as broad, in contact with an occipital half its length; 4
supraoculars, the first divided into two, second and third large and
subequal, fourth very small; a row of granules separating the supra-
oculars from the 5 supraciliaries. Lower eyelid scaly, translucent.
Rostral not entering the nostril ; two superposed post-nasals, the lower
in contact with the first and second labials ; anterior loreal half as long
as the second; five or six labials anterior to the subocular, which is
much narrowed on the lip and separated by two scales from the pos-
terior loreal ; lateral edge of the parietal bordered by 3 elongate, narrow
scales, of which the anterior is much the longest; anterior margin of the
ear bordered by 3 or 4 scales of which the uppermost is the largest.
Four pairs of chin-shields, the first 3 in contact and the last the largest;
31 gular scales between the chin-shields and the collar which has about
nine scales on its edge, the median very large and the laterals grading
into the granules of the neck. Dorsal scales oval, or subhexagonal, flat
and smooth, in 39 series across the middle of the body and in 105
series between the occipital and the base of the tail (vertically over the
vent) ; twenty-two in a transverse series between the hind limbs. Ven-
trals in six longitudinal series, with straight posterior borders, the two
median series much narrower than the others; no group of small pec-
torals; twenty-five transverse series of ventrals; one very large preanal
bordering the vent, preceded by another, but much smaller, shield. A
series of enlarged plates beneath the fore-arm; upper tibial scales
small, imbricate, keeled; ten or eleven femoral pores on each side; sub-
digital lamellae strongly bicarinate 26 beneath the fourth toe. Caudal
scales in equal whorls, oblique and strongly keeled above, smooth be-
neath. Tip of the fourth toe reaching to midway between the arm and
the ear.
Pale reddish brown above and on the tail, faintly marbled with grey
anteriorly and on the head; flanks anteriorly and side of the neck with
very irregular brown and greyish-white vertical marblings. Lower sur-
faces uniform white.
Length from snout to vent 43 mm.
Fore-limb 13 mm.
Hind-limb 26 mm.
Tail (regenerated in part) 87 mm.
The following specimens are paratypes of this species:
1931.7.20.339 9 2000 ft. 10°15`N x 49°E 13.1.1930
1931.7.20.338 9 20 ft. 11°14`N x 49°E 3.XII.1929
1931.7.20.340-342 3 & & 2000 ft. 9°40`N x 49°E
[Ex. Field Mus.j 8.II.1930
19317.20.335-336 d 9 3100-3300 ft. 10°13`N x 48°46`E 8.1.1930
This series shows the following variations from the holotype: The
head may be once and two thirds as long as broad, and its depth equal
to the distance from the snout to the eye; supraciliaries 5 to 7; one or
two scales between the posterior loreal and the subocular; 5 or 6
labials anterior to the subocular; dorsals in 36 to 41 series across the
middle of the body; ventrals in 23 to 26 transverse series; gular scales
28 to 32; plates in the collar 5 to 7; femoral pores 9 to 12; subdigital
lamellae beneath the fourth toes 24 to 27. The fourth toe extends to
some point between the shoulder and the middle of the neck. The
colour is usually olive, almost uniform, but with traces of lighter
marblings anteriorly and on the sides of the neck and anterior part of
the flanks, the latter having a tendency towards the formation of verti-
cal bars. The subcaudal scales are smooth proximally, but keeled dis-
tally and an unregenerated tail is a little more than twice as long as the
distance from snout to vent.
These specimens were originally believed to be all immature, but a
female of 42 mm. from snout to vent is pregnant and the species ap-
pears to be consistently smaller than boscai. It is closely allied to the
latter but may be distinguished by its broader, natter dorsal scales,
the absence of a frontal groove and different colour; it appears to be
restricted to the north-eastern districts of Somaliland from the Sol
Haud to the coast, an area close to that in which the strongly striped
L. boscai burii also occurs (fig. 4).
