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CHAP. XIV.] THE NEOTROPICAL REGION. 41
Lizards are much more numerous, and there are several pecu-
liar and interesting forms. Three families are represented
Teidse by two genera Callopistes peculiar to Chili, and Ameiva
which ranges over almost the whole American continent and is
found in Patagonia ; Geckotidae by four genera, two of which,
Caudiverbera and Homonota—are peculiar to Chili, while Sphoe-
Todactylus and Ciibina are Neotropical, the former ranging to
Patagonia, the latter to Chili ; and lastly the American family
Iguanidse represented by eight genera, no less than six being
peculiar, (or almost so,) to the South temperate region. These are
Leiodera, Diplolcemus and Proctrotretus, ranging from Chili to
Patagonia ; Zeiolcemus, from Peru to Patagonia ; Phrymaturus,
confined to Chili, and Ptygoderus peculiar, to Patagonia and
Tierra del Fuego. The other two genera. Opiums and Leiosaurus,
are common to Chili and tropical South America.
Tortoises appear to be scarce, a species of Hydromedusa only
being recorded. Of the Amphibia, batrachia (frogs and toads)
alone are represented, and appear to be tolerably abundant,
seventeen species having been collected by Mr. Darwin in this
sub-region. Species of the South American genera Phryniscus,
Hylaplesia, Telmatohius, Cacotus, Hylodes, Gyclorham'phus, Pleu-
Todema, CystignatJius, and Leiuperus, are found in various locali-
ties, some extending even to the Straits jof Magellan,—the
extreme southern limit of both Reptilia and Amphibia, except
one lizard {Ptygoderus) found by Professor Cunningham in Tierra
del Fuego. There are also four peculiar genera, Bhinoderma
belonging to the Engystomidai ; Alsodes and Nannophryne to the
Bombinatoridae ; Opisthodelpliys to the Hylidse ; and Calyptoce-
phalus to the Discoglossidse.
It thus appears, that in the Eeptiles all the groups are typically-
American, and that most of the peculiar genera belong to families
w^hich are exclusively American. The Amphibia, on the other
hand, present some interesting external relations, but these are
as much with Australia as with the North temperate regions. The
Bombinatoridae are indeed Palsearctic, but a larger proportion are
Neotropical, and one genus inhabits New Zealand. The Chilian
genus Calyptoce'phalus is allied to Australian tropical genera.