The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)Gadow, Hans
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)
Gadow, Hans
Animals
_Hemisus_ is another African genus, with two species, _H. guttatum_ in
Natal, and _H. sudanense_ in East and West Africa. This genus is so
exceptional in its shoulder-girdle, that Cope separated it from all the
other Anura as a special sub-order Gastrechmia. The precoracoids are
extremely strong, and form a broad symphysis from which springs the long
cartilaginous omosternum; the coracoids are slender, very long, and
converge backwards to a narrow symphysis, and there is no metasternum. The
two symphyses are connected by a narrow cartilaginous median bar, probably
produced by the much modified epicoracoid cartilages. However, except for
the reverse development shown by the omo- and meta-sternum, it is easy to
connect this apparently quite anomalous shoulder-girdle of _Hemisus_ with
that of _Breviceps_. {233}(cf. Fig. 5, 5 and 6, p. 25). The sacral
diapophyses are slightly dilated; the fingers and toes are free and end in
points. The tongue is triangular, broader in front. The lining of the mouth
forms a transverse ridge across the palate, and another in front of the
oesophagus. The male has a subgular sac. The general shape is stout, the
head small and ending in a pointed snout. Colour brown above, with whitish
spots. Total length about 2 inches.
_Glyphoglossus_ has a peculiar tongue. It is elongated, notched behind and
in front, divided into two lateral halves by a deep groove; moreover, the
tongue is not only extensively free behind, but also slightly so in front.
The skin of the palate forms a transverse serrated ridge. The precoracoids
and the omosternum are absent; the metasternum is a well-developed
cartilaginous plate. The sacral diapophyses are moderately dilated; the
terminal phalanges are simple. _G. molossus_, the only species, is
olive-brown above, marbled on the sides; the under parts are uniformly
whitish. This creature, about 2 inches in length, looks like a roundish
bag, with a ridiculous, short face. The type-specimen, still the only one
known, was taken by Dr Theobald under the following circumstances:–"I had
halted one day within the tidal portion of the Irawaddy delta, to enable my
boatmen to prepare their dinner. One of my servants, having cooked his
rice, poured out the hot water as usual on the ground, and some of it went
down a hole that happened to be near the spot. No sooner, however, had the
hot water disappeared than out scrambled in great haste a fine
_Glyphoglossus_, only, alas! to be transferred to a collecting jar."
_Phrynella._–The tongue is heart-shaped, free behind. The palate is smooth
and toothless. The fingers and toes end in small discs, supported by
T-shaped phalanges; the fingers are free, the toes extensively webbed.
Precoracoids absent; metasternum cartilaginous. Pupil horizontal. Malay
Peninsula.
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