Phrynocephalus

QUICK INDEX

P. albolineatus, White-Lined Toad-Headed Agama

P. alticola, Montane Toad-Headed Agama

P. arabicus, Arabian Toad-Headed Agama

P. arcellazzi, Central Asian Toad-Headed Agama

P. axillaris

P. birulai, Tsarevsky's Toad-Headed Agama

P. clarkorum, Clark's Toad-Headed Agama

P. elegans, Elegant Toad-Headed Agama

P. euptilopus, Alcock's Toad-Headed Agama

P. forsythi, Forsyth's Toad-Headed Agama

P. frontalis, Shansi Toad-Headed Agama

P. geckoides, Geckoid Toad-Headed Agama

P. golubewii, Golubev's Toad-Headed Agama

P. guttatus, Spotted Toad-Headed Agama

P. helioscopus, Sungazer Toad-Headed Agama

P. interscapularis, Lichtenstein's Toad-Headed Agama

P. lidskii, Tibetan Toad-Headed Agama

P. luteoguttatus, Yellow-Speckled Toad-Headed Agama

P. maculatus, Black-Tailed Toad-Headed Agama

P. melanurus, Saissan Toad-Headed Agama

P. moltschanowi, Moltchanov's Toad-Headed Agama

P. mystaceus, Secret Toad-Headed Agama

P. nasatus

P. ornatus, Painted Toad-Headed Agama

P. parvulus, Slight Toad-Headed Agama

P. parvus, Dwarf Toad-Headed Agama

P. persicus, Persian Toad-Headed Agama

P. przewalskii, Przewalskii's Toad-Headed Agama

P. putjatai

P. pylzowi, Pylzow's Toad-Headed Agama

P. raddei, Radd's Toad-Headed Agama

P. reticulatus, Reticulated Toad-Headed Agama

P. roborowskii, Roborowski's Toad-Headed Agama

P. rossikowi, Uzbekistan Toad-Headed Agama

P. salenskyi, Salensky's Toad-Headed Agama

P. scutellatus, Grey Toad-Headed Agama

P. sogdianus, Tadjikistan Toad-Headed Agama

P. steindachneri, Steindachner's Toad-Headed Agama

P. strauchi, Strauch's Toad-Headed Agama

P. theobaldi, Theobald's Toad-Headed Agama

P. versicolor, Variegated Toad-Headed Agama

P. vlangalii, Ching Hai Toad-Headed Agama

Species Name

Common Name

Distribution

Size

Notes

Phrynocephalus 

P. albolineatus

White-Lined Toad-Headed Agama

China (N Xinjiang)

SVL ??

Considered a synonym of P. guttatus by some authorities: see Reptile Database entry. Scalation details: ??. Ventral scalation: ??.Tail: ??. Other: ??. Coloration: ?? Reproduction: ??.

P. alticola

Montane Toad-Headed Agama [R: высокогорная круглоголовка]

India (Jammu, Kashmir)

??

Considered a synonym of P. theobaldi by some authorities: see Reptile Database entry.. Scalation details: ??. Ventral scalation: ??.Tail: ??. Other: ??. Coloration: ?? Reproduction: ??.

P. ananjevae

S Iran

Described in 2013 from the Zagros mountains. See Reptile Database entry.

P. arabicus

Arabian Toad-Headed Agama

Jordan, Iran, SE Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman; poss. S Iraq

SVL approx. 5½cm, TL 12cm

In Oman, occurs on fine wind-blown sand on fairly open, level or sloping sand, or sloping sand between mounds of vegetation and between or at the foot of large, mobile dunes. Scalation details: nasals in contact or partially or wholly separated by a single scale; pectoral and abdominal scales mucronate, some weakly keeled; gulars mucronate; no enlarged scales on flanks. Dorsal scalation: subequal, homogenous, smooth, weakly keeled or smooth on limbs; 74-106 scales around midbody. Tail: ??. Other: no cutaneous fold at angle of mouth; no fringe of scales on posterior border of thigh and sides of tail base. Coloration: (in preservative) dorsum reticulated with light and dark markings; upper surface of limbs more or less distinctly barred, with speckling as on body; venter immaculate cream white; tail speckled dorsally like body, or with faint bars; ventral surface of tail whitish with indistinct dark crossbars or entire tip of tail black or grey. Reproduction: ??. [SOURCE: Anderson]

P. arcellazzii

Central Asian Toad-Headed Agama

C Asia

Considered a synonym of P. guttatus melanurus by some authorities: see Reptile Database entry.

P. axillaris

E Turkestan, Mongolia, Tibet, China (Xinjiang, Gansu)

TL approx 15 cm, SVL approx 6 cm

Very closely allied to P. maculatus, from which it differs in rather shorter limbs, and the outer edge of the fourth toe more strongly fringed. A red spot behind the shoulder; end of the tail never black. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

P. birulai

Tsarevsky's Toad-Headed Agama

China (Inner Mongolia)

Considered a synonym of P. przewalskii by some authorities: see Reptile Database entry.

P. clarkorum

Clark's Toad-Headed Agama [R: круглоголовка Кларков]

Afghanistan, Pakistan, poss. Iran

SVL 4cm, TL 10cm

Found on the edges of dune areas or in sandy river beds; may be syntopic in Iran with P. ornatus, although this seems to reduce success of such populations of both species. Diet is predominantly ants but also small beetles and other insects. Scalation details: nasals in contact; suborbital scales elongate; no spinose scales on neck or back of head. Dorsal scalation: subequal or increasing in size slightly from dorsolateral to middorsal line; homogenous, keeled; 74-106 scales around midbody. Tail: ??. Other: both sides of 4^th toe and lateral aspect of 3^rd toe strongly fringed. Coloration: (in preservative) dorsally light sandy grey; upper surface of limbs more or less distinctly barred, with speckling as on body; venter immaculate cream white; tail speckled dorsally like body, or with faint bars; ventral surface of tail whitish with indistinct dark crossbars or entire tip of tail black or grey. Reproduction: ??. [SOURCE: Anderson]

P. elegans

Elegant Toad-Headed Agama

China (Inner Mongolia)

An inhabitant of the Ala-Shan desert. Considered a synonym of P. przewalskii by some authorities: see Reptile Database entry.

P. euptilopus

Alcock's Toad-Headed Agama

SW Afghanistan, SW Pakistan (Baluchistan)

Head much depressed, snout extremely short; a row of enlarged projecting imbricate scales borders the supra-orbital region and extends anteriorly nearly to the nasals; upper head-scales small, obtusely keeled, not enlarged on occipital region ; nostril turned upwards; nasals in contact or separated by one scale ; about three series of scales between the orbit and the upper labials. Dorsal scales small, homogeneous, imbricate, smooth or keeled, not enlarged on vertebral region ; small projecting spinose scales on the side of the head and neck; a fold along the flanks. Gular scales pointed, smooth or very feebly keeled; pectoral and ventral scales sharply mucronate, the former smooth or feebly keeled, the latter smooth. Scales on limbs smooth or keeled ; fringe at back of thigh not usually present. Tibia longer than skull. The adpressed hind limb reaches the eye or the snout. Toes very long, the second, third and fourth with progressively longer fringes of pointed scales on each side; on the fore-foot the fifth also with a double fringe; remaining toes with a single fringe. Tail depressed, tapering to a point, covered with keeled scales above and at the tip; lower caudal scales for about the proximal half of the tail smooth; the length of the tail about equals that of thé head and body. : Colours in spirit sandy, greenish on the head, spotted and vermienlated with blackish, more strongly on the sides aud limbs. Im all the six specimens collected by the Mission there are some large black roundish spots on the vertex of the head and on the anterior part of the dorsum. Of these, five, situated one on the nape, and two on and two just behind the shoulders, aré very large, and are constant. End of tail black below and generally above.

A large specimen measures :— Total length... 4.8 in. Head ae ‘sone

Width of head .35”

Snout to vent 2.45

Tail 2.35

This species comes nearest to P. interscapularis, Lichtenst. (Brit. Mus. Cat. Lizards, Vol. I, p. 378) but differs chiefly (actual specimens compared) in the following points :—

1, The new species is very much larger.

2. The pectoral and ventral scales are much more sharply mucronate.

3. The digits are very much more strongly fringed.

4, The colouration is strikingly different.

| All six were caught in April, near Darband, elevation 3000 feet.

Darband is a small hollow in the sandy desert, with a couple of wells—

the only water for 80 miles. The lizards were caught on reddish sand, into which, on being approached, they wriggled with such rapidity that they were with difficulty followed. Before burrowing into the sand one would sometimes sit and look at you, gently waving its tail in the air, like a cat before making a spring. The colours have much faded in spirit. In life the back was rich golden brown with the jet-black spots standing out like velvet: the throat in one was lavender, in others salmon pink: the belly was a beautiful silvery white. The upper surface of the limbs presented a lovely golden sheen; the top of the head was metallic green ; the distal half of the tail was black. [SOURCE: Alcock & Finn]

P. forsythii

Forsyth's Toad-Headed Agama

China (Xinjiang)

Approx 11 cm SVL

Very nearly allied to P. theohaldi, but distinguished in the following characters toes less distinctly denticulated laterally, the middle ones being almost deprived of any such denticulation; all the scales, and especially those on the upper surface of the head, smaller; scales on the limbs keeled; tail longer, nearly twice as long as the distance from gular fold to vent, tapering to a fine point. Light grey above, dotted with darker; two series of small dark spots along the back ; end of tail black inferiorly; lower surfaces white, with a faint blackish line along the middle of the belly. Reproduction: viviparous [SOURCE: Boulenger]

P. frontalis

Shansi Toad-Headed Agama

China

Approx 11.5 cm TL

Scalation details: forehead sloping, subconvex, with enlarged convex scales; nostril anterior, scarcely turned upwards; nasal separated from its fellow by three or four longitudinal series of scales. Dorsal scales homogeneous, subimbricate, larger and more or less distinctly keeled on the vertebral region, decreasing in size to the sides, where they are convex or tectiform. Gular and abdominal scales smooth, pectorals strongly keeled. Third and fourth toes distinctly fringed on the outer side. Tail: long, little thickened at the base, gradually tapering, everywhere slightly depressed, the end curling upwards, covered with keeled scales. Other: tibia as long as the skull. Coloration: brown above, irregularly guttate with yellow, uniform yellowish inferiorly; a slightly arched preocular transverse blackish band ; two series of blackish spots on the back, sometimes confluent and forming transverse bands; end of tail black inferiorly. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

P. geckoides

Geckoid Toad-Headed Agama

China (Qinghai)

Considered a synonym of P. vlangalii by some authorities: see Reptile Database entry.

P. golubewii

R: круглоголовка Голубева

Turkmenistan

P. guttatus

Spotted Toad-Headed Agama [D: Gefleckter Krötenkopf; R: круглоголовка-вертихвостка]

SE Europe, Russia (NW coast of Caspian Sea to E Kazakhstan, Dagestan, Astrakhan area and Volgograd area, Turkmenistan, W Asia, W China (N Xinjiang), Mongolia; poss. Eritrea and Ethiopia?

TL 12cm: tail >50% of TL

Found on the edges of dune areas or in sandy river beds; may be syntopic in Iran with P. ornatus, although this seems to reduce success of such populations of both species. Diet is predominantly ants but also small beetles and other insects. Scalation details: nasals in contact; suborbital scales elongate; no spinose scales on neck or back of head. Dorsal scalation: subequal or increasing in size slightly from dorsolateral to middorsal line; homogenous, keeled; 74-106 scales around midbody. Tail: ??. Other: both sides of 4^th toe and lateral aspect of 3^rd toe strongly fringed. Coloration: (in preservative) dorsally light sandy grey; upper surface of limbs more or less distinctly barred, with speckling as on body; venter immaculate cream white; tail speckled dorsally like body, or with faint bars; ventral surface of tail whitish with indistinct dark crossbars or entire tip of tail black or grey. Reproduction: ??. [SOURCE: Anderson]

P. g. guttatus

P. g. alpherakii

Kazakhstan, China

P. g. kalmykus

P. g. kushakewitschii

Kazakhstan

P. g. salenskyi

Kazakhstan

P. g. salsatus

Turkmenistan

P. helioscopus

Sungazer Toad-Headed Agama [D: Sonnengucker; R: такырная круглоголовка]

S Russia, Armenia, E Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Iraq, NE Iran, NW Mongolia, NW China (W Xinjiang)

SVL 6cm, TL 12cm

Scalation details: forehead convex, with enlarged convex scales; occipital scales enlarged; median supraorbital scales as large as, or rather smaller than, the median dorsals; nostril directed forwards; nasal separated from its fellow by 3-5 (exceptionally one) longitudinal series of scales. Dorsal scales irregular, on the vertebral region enlarged, more or less imbricate, smooth or very feebly keeled; on the sides granular, intermixed with irregularly arranged enlarged nail-like or pointed scales. Gular, pectoral, and ventral scales smooth, none mucronate. Scales on upper surface of limbs smooth or feebly keeled, intermixed with enlarged ones. Outer and inner edge of third and fourth toes with a fringe of acute lobules. Tail: round, depressed, and more or less swollen at the base, ending in an obtuse point, covered with more or less distinctly keeled scales, on the basal portion with scattered enlarged projecting tubercles ; the length of the tail equals once and one fourth to once and two thirds the distance from gular fold to vent. Other: tibia longer than the skull. Coloration: grey above, with darker spots sometimes forming interrupted transverse bars; tail above with dark cross bars, which are either absent or of a pale grey on the lower surface. Lower surfaces white; throat and breast generally marbled with grey. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

P. h. helioscopus

Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan

P. h. horvathi

NE Turkey, Armenia

Status of this subspecies is unclear, as some authorities consider it a subspecies of P. helioscopus, others of P. persicus, and others deny its validity. See Reptile Database entry.

P. h. saidalievi

Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan

P. h. varius

E Kazakhstan, China (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region), W Mongolia

P. interscapularis

Lichtenstein's Toad-Headed Agama [R: песчаная круглоголовка]

NE Iran, NE Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, S Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan

TL approx 7.5 cm, SVL approx 3.5 cm

Scalation details: head much depressed, snout sloping; upper head-scales small, keeled, not enlarged on occipital region; nostril turned upwards; nasal separated from its fellow by one scale. Dorsal scales small, more or less distinctly keeled, not enlarged on vertebral region; small projecting spinose scales on the sides of the head and neck, and sometimes on the flanks ; a fold along the flanks. Gular scales pointed, smooth or feebly keeled; pectoral and ventral scales mxicronate, the former smooth or feebly keeled, the latter smooth. Scales on limbs smooth or keeled; a more or less distinct fringe of pointed scales borders the thighs posteriorly. Toes very long, the third and fourth on both sides with a very strong fringe of acute lobules. Tail: depressed, tapering to a fine point, covered with keeled scales; its length equals once and a half to once and two thirds the distance from gular fold to vent. Other: tibia longer than the skull. Coloration: sandy-grey above, dotted and vermiculated with blackish, and dotted with white; lower surfaces white; end of tail inferiorly black, with two to four black spots in front. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

P. lidskii

Tibetan Toad-Headed Agama

NW Tibet

Found in Keria mountains. Considered a subspecies or synonym of P. theobaldi by some authorities, and described instead as P. erythrurus or P. zetangensis by others: see Reptile Database entry for details. Reproduction is viviparous.

P. luteoguttatus

Yellow-Speckled Toad-Headed Agama [R: желтопятнистая круглоголовка]

Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (Baluchistan), poss. India

P. maculatus

Black-Tailed Toad-Headed Agama [R: пятнистая круглоголовка]

Syria, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, N Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan

Approx 16.5 cm TL, 6.5 cm SVL

Scalation details: forehead convex, with slightly enlarged scales; median supraorbital scales as large as or smaller than the median dorsals; occipital scales slightly enlarged; nostril directed upwards; nasal separated from its fellow by one scale. Dorsal scales homogeneous, smaller on the sides, rhomboidal, imbricate, smooth. Gular, pectoral, and abdominal scales smooth. Scales on the limbs smooth or feebly keeled. Third and fourth toes with feeble lateral denticulation. Tail: depressed, especially at the base, tapering to a point, covered with keeled scales; its length equals nearly twice the distance from gular fold to vent. Other: tibia longer than the skull. Coloration: greyish above, speckled or guttate with whitish, and with more or less distinct darker dots, spots, or cross bands; lower surfaces white; end of tail black inferiorly. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

P. m. maculatus

P. m. longicaudatus

N Arabia

P. melanurus

Saissan Toad-Headed Agama [R: зайсанская круглоголовка]

Russia (Siberia), E Kazakhstan

Considered a subspecies of P. guttatus by some authorities: see Reptile Database entry.

P. moltschanowi

R: круглоголовка Молчанова

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan

P. mystaceus

Secret Toad-Headed Agama [D: Sonnengucker R: Ушастая круглоголовка]

S Russia (inc. NW Caspian coast, Daghestan and Astrakhan), Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, NE Iran, Afghanistan, NW China (W Xinjiang)

TL approx 18.5 cm, SVL approx 9.5 cm

Easily distinguished by large fringed cutaneous fold at angle of mouth which can be erected outwards. Scalation details: forehead convex, with enlarged tectiform or striated scales; occipital scales rather small ; supraorbital scales small, keeled; nostril directed forwards and upwards; nasal separated from its fellow by one or three series of scales; sides of the head with spine-like projecting scales; a large, fringed, folded lobe of skin at the angle of the mouth. Dorsal scales small, not enlarged on the vertebral region, rhomboidal, imbricate, keeled, intermixed with more or less scantily scattered enlarged scales of similar shape. Gular scales keeled; pectoral and ventral scales mucronate, the former strongly, the latter feebly keeled. Scales on upper surface of limbs keeled. Third and fourth digits of both pair of limbs very strongly fringed on each side. Tail: depressed, tapering to a rather blunt point, covered with strongly keeled scales; its length equals nearly once and a half the distance from gular fold to vent. Other: tibia longer than the skull. Coloration: greyish above, reticulated with blackish and spotted with whitish; lower surfaces white; generally a black spot on the chest; end of tail black inferiorly. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

P. m. mystaceus

P. m. aurantiacaudatus

Kazakhstan

P. m. galli

Turkestan (Russia/China/Afghanistan)

P. nasatus

W China

Considered a synonym of P. axillaris by some authorities: see Reptile Database entry. See also Russian Journal of Herpetology abstract.

P. ornatus

Painted Toad-Headed Agama [R: украшенная круглоголовка]

Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (Baluchistan)

P. o. ornatus

P. o. vindumi

P. parvulus

Slight Toad-Headed Agama

China (Inner Mongolia)

P. parvus

Dwarf Toad-Headed Agama

Tibet

P. persicus

Persian Toad-Headed Agama [R: персидская круглоголовка]

Transcaucasia, Iran

P. przewalskii

Przewalskii's Toad-Headed Agama [круглоголовка Пржевальского]

China (Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai)

Approx 19 cm TL, SVL approx 8 cm

Scalation details: forehead convex, with large keeled or tectiform scales; nostril anterior, turned upwards; nasal separated from its fellow by three longitudinal series of scales. Dorsal scales homogeneous, subimbricate, large, plane, and very distinctly keeled on the vertebral region, smaller, very convex, tectiform or spiniform on the sides. Gular, pectoral, and abdominal scales imbricate and distinctly keeled. Third and fourth toes with a fringe of long acute lobules on the outer side. Tail: long, thickened and scarcely depressed at the base, then rounded, the end curling upwards, and covered with imbricate keeled scales. Coloration: yellowish-orange above, yellowish inferiorly; a broad sinuous black vertebral band, ending on the sacral region; sides black-dotted. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

China (Qinghai Province)

P. pylzowi

Pylzow's Toad-Headed Agama

NW China

P. raddei

Radd's Toad-Headed Agama [R: закаспийская круглоголовка]

Iran, S Turkmenistan, SW Tadjikistan, S Uzbekistan

P. r. raddei

P. r. boettgeri

P. reticulatus

Reticulated Toad-Headed Agama [R: сетчатая круглоголовка]

N Afghanistan, S Kazakhstan, W Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, N India (Kashmir)

P. roborowskii

Roborowski's Toad-Headed Agama [R: круглоголовка Роборовского]

NW China

P. rossikowi

Uzbekistan Toad-Headed Agama [R: хентаунская круглоголовка]

Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

P. r. rossikowi

P. r. shammakowi

P. salenskyi

Salensky's Toad-Headed Agama [R: круглоголовка Зеленского]

Kazakhstan

P. scutellatus

Grey Toad-Headed Agama

Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (Baluchistan)

TL 10.5 cm

Scalation details: upper head-scales large, smallest on the middle of the supraorbital region, where they are about the size of the median dorsals, largest and convex behind the nostrils and on the occiput; nostril directed forwards and upwards; nasal large, in contact with its fellow (quite exceptionally separated by a series of scales). Dorsal scales flat, smooth, juxtaposed or slightly imbricate, with scattered enlarged nail-like scales; sides more or less folded, with small granular scales intermixed with scattered enlarged ones. Gular, pectoral, and ventral scales smooth, the former very small but not granular; ventrals square, forming slightly oblique transverse series. Scales on upper surface of limbs large, smooth or feebly keeled. Outer edge of third and fourth toes feebly denticulated. Tail: round, gradually tapering to a fine point, covered with smooth or slightly keeled scales; on the basal portion of the tail they are intermixed with enlarged conical scales; the length of the tail equals once and two thirds to a little more than twice the distance from gular fold to vent. Other: snout extremely short, vertically truncate; tibia longer than the skull. Coloration: grey above, marbled with darker and guttate with lighter; sometimes a blackish cross band behind the scapular region, and another in front of the sacral region; sometimes a large zone on the middle of the back uniform light grey: limbs and tail with blackish cross bars, on the latter forming annuli which are deep black on the lower surface; body and limbs inferiorly white. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

P. sogdianus

Tadjikistan Toad-Headed Agama [R: согдианская круглоголовка]

S Uzbekistan, SW Tajikistan, N Afghanistan

P. steindachneri

Steindachner's Toad-Headed Agama

China

P. strauchi

Strauch's Toad-Headed Agama [R: круглоголовка Штрауха]

Russia, Tadjikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan

P. theobaldi

Theobald's Toad-Headed Agama, Snow Lizard [R: тибетская круглоголовка]

E Turkestan, India (Kashmir), Nepal, Tibet

TL 11cm; SVL 5cm

Scalation details: nostril directed forwards; nasals separated by 1 or 3 longitudinal rows of scales; supraorbital scales roughly equal in size to largest dorsals; occipital scales much larger; pectoral and ventral scales small, perfectly smooth, not mucronate; scales on upper surfaces of limbs smooth. Dorsal scalation: homogeneous, small, granular on sides, enlarged, flat and imbricate on vertebral area, all perfectly smooth.Tail: roundish, thickened and depressed at base, covered with smooth scales, with blunt end. Other: forehead very convex, with enlarged convex scales; tibia as long as skull; outer side of 3^rd and 4^th toes feebly but distinctly denticulated. Coloration: overall grey, with some degree of spotting with blackish or light dark-edged ocelli; lower surfaces white; male has black areas on middle of throat and of belly, and ventral end of tail. Reproduction: viviparous. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

P. versicolor

  R: пёстрая круглоголовка

Russia (SE and Siberia), Kazakhstan, Mongolia, W China (Xinjiang, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia)

P. v. versicolor

P. v. doriai

P. v. hispidus

P. v. kulagini

P. v. paraskiwi

P. vlangalii

Ching Hai Toad-Headed Agama

China (Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, NW Sichuan)

TL 11½ cm; SVL approx 50%?

Scalation details: nostril anterior, directed not upwards but outwards, pierced under canthus rostralis; nasals very concave, separated by 6-7 longitudinal series of scales; gular, pectoral and ventral scales quite smooth; gular scales rather convex. Dorsal scalation: homogeneous, slightly imbricate, enlarged in vertebral region, smaller on the sides, all more or less convex but not keeled. Tail: short and thick, suddenly enlarged and very depressed at base, then roundish, ending bluntly; caudal scales smoth except at the rear, where upper scales are slightly, and lower scales distinctly, keeled. Other: forehead convex, with enlarged convex scales; back has distinct, mostly transverse, folds; outer edge of 3^rd and 4^th toes distinctly fringed. Coloration: dirty grey above, lower surfaces yellowish; immaculate vertebral stripe, flanked on both sides by irregular black and yellowish-orange spots; throat and chest blackish; large elongate deep black spot on middle of belly, another on lower surface of end of tail. Reproduction: ??. [SOURCE: Boulenger]