Squamata, OPPEL, 1811

Squamata View in CoL

In the present analysis, Squamata (all taxa sharing a more recent common ancestor with Lacerta viridis than with Sp. punctatus ) is supported by 19 unambiguous synapomorphies. These are:

1. The nasals, as a unit, are narrower than the breadth of the external naris (character 373, state 1). This is reversed in S. dyspepsia .

2. The frontal unit (the bilateral width) is wider than it is long (character 387, state 1). This character cannot be confidently coded in S. dyspepsia .

3. The frontal possesses concave lateral margins and with a minimum width less than 60% of the posterior border width (character 57, state 2).

4. The frontoparietal suture is transverse (character 70, state 1). The frontoparietal suture is anteriorly arched in S. dyspepsia .

5. The parietal lacks frontal tabs (character 74, state 0). This character cannot be confidently coded in S. dyspepsia .

6. The postfrontal is reduced to an irregular piece of bone (character 92, state 1). The postfrontal is anteroposteriorly elongate in many squamates, including S. dyspepsia .

7. Pa l a t i n e t e e t h a r e a b s e n t (c h a r a c t e r 1 1 5, state 1). This character cannot be coded in S. dyspepsia .

8. The pterygoid lacks teeth (character 118, state 2). This is reversed within Squamata.

9. There is no pterygoid–vomer contact (character 119, state 1). This character cannot be confidently coded in S. dyspepsia .

10. Absence of a midline pterygoid contact anterior to the pyriform recess (character 122, state 0). This character cannot be coded in S. dyspepsia .

11. Presence of a vidian canal formed by the parabasisphenoid enclosing the internal carotid artery and the basal of the palatine artery as they pass the basipterygoid process (character 693, state 1).

12. The quadrate lacks a distinct pterygoid lappet (character 160, state 1). This character cannot be confidently coded in S. dyspepsia .

13. Presence of three teeth in each premaxilla (character 403, state 2). This character cannot be confidently coded in S. dyspepsia .

14. Presence of a midline premaxillary tooth (character 404, state 1). This character cannot be confidently coded in S. dyspepsia .

15. Vertebrae procoelous (character 231, state 2). Vertebral centrum morphology cannot be confidently coded for S. dyspepsia .

16. Transverse processes absent from anterior presacral vertebrae (character 236, state 2).

17. Anterior dorsal ribs lacking distal broadening (character 255, state 0). This character cannot be confidently coded in S. dyspepsia .

18. A primary coracoid emargination is present (character 260, state 1). This character cannot be confidently coded in S. dyspepsia .

19. The pubis is anteromedially narrow (character 284, state 0) as opposed to the expanded pubis found in many rhynchocephalians.