Char. Scales 1½-16, lateral ventral, pectoral and gular keeled, the dorsal
keeled and very rugose.
Caudal scales trihedral spine-like. Internasal reaching rostral. Dark brown,
yellow below.
Desc. This species belongs to the typical group and is near the Z. g r i s e u s of the Cape, but differs in many characters. The rostral is in contact with the internasal, which is much longer than wide, and of course separates entirely the supranasals. It is well separated from the frontal by the frontonasals. The other head are similar, exept that there are six rows of temporals, the longest seven deep; those of the Z. g r i s e u s are much larger, including the two marginal auriculars, which are rudimental in the new species. All the plates of the head are exessively rugose, with longitudinal striae. Upper labials six, the fifth not more elevated than the others; inferiors, six; infra - labials, five; all in contact, and without larger scales within them. Gular scale in 22 series from angels of mandible; those of the neek abruptly larger, mucronate, forming a rudimental collar. Median ventrals pearly smooth, laterals mucronate keeled. No lateral fold; lateral scales increasing regularly in size from the ventrals, sub - round, widely seperated from each other by minutelty granular intervals, strongly muconate keeled. Dorsal scales in 24 series from nape to opposite femur, all strongly mucronate keeled, and rugose; the median series like the others. Caudal whorls very spinous, the scales not serrate, but striate on the surface. Femoral pores, seven on each side; preanal plates small, equal, except two marginal little longer.
Muzzle to vent 0m 09 "2"’ Width head 0m .02"
Muzzle to ear 04" 4"’ Hind limb 0m 04" .2"’
Fore limb 3" 2"’ Hind foot 0m 02"
Color. Below and upper lip to ear, yellow; above rich brown, with several indistinct
blackish cross
- shades, head above, wood brown.
Habitat: Madagaskar,(Mozambique) Mus Essex Institute, No. 500 "
From : E.D. Cope (1869): Seventh Contribution to the Herpetology of Tropical
America.
- Proc.Am.Philosoph. Soc., Philad., 11: 147 - 169.