Anguidae
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz035 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9C298799-D246-5A3E-FF2D-FBB52405AE95 |
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treatment provided by |
Plazi |
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scientific name |
Anguidae |
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Anguidae View in CoL View at ENA ( Fig. 1S–V View Figure 1 )
The nasal is subtrapezoidal in European anguids. The concavity on its anterior margin is very poorly developed because of the presence of a short, moderately wide and ventrally curved anterolateral process that does not project anteriorly. The anteromedial process is long and slender in Anguis gr. An. fragilis ( Fig. 1S, T View Figure 1 ) and moderately short and wide in Pseudopus apodus (Pallas, 1775) ( Fig. 1U, V View Figure 1 ). The articulation surface with the premaxilla covers only the dorsal surface of the latter process ( Fig. 1S View Figure 1 ). The posterior margin can either be straight and oblique (in both Anguis gr. An. fragilis and Pseudopus apodus ; Fig. 1V View Figure 1 ) or have a small and roughly V-shaped notch in the middle (only in Anguis gr. An. fragilis ; Fig. 1S, T View Figure 1 ). In Pseudopus apodus , the posterolateral corner is strongly developed, forming a long and pointed process ( Fig. 1V View Figure 1 ). A dermal ornamentation is visible on the dorsal surface, having a sulcus separating the areas covered by prefrontal and internasal scales in the middle ( Fig. 1U View Figure 1 ). The degree of development of the dermal ornamentation is highly variable, with no ornamentation on smaller specimens of Anguis gr. An. fragilis and stronger ornamentation in larger specimens of all species. In the latter cases, the ornamentation can also develop beyond the margins of the bone, hiding its shape in dorsal view ( Fig. 1U View Figure 1 ). As a rule, the ornamentation is stronger in Pseudopus apodus than in Anguis gr. An. fragilis . In any case, even when the ornamentation is strongly developed, the anterior end of the bone is smooth.
FRONTAL
Frontals ( Figs 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 ) can be either paired or fused in a single element. This bone is more or less constricted in the middle, with the posterior end that is wider than the anterior one. The anterior end can have a medial process in the middle and lateral processes on the anterolateral corners, whereas the posterior end expands laterally forming the posterolateral processes. On the anterior margin, the articulation surfaces with the nasals are present on the dorsal side, whereas laterally one can see those with the facial process of the maxilla and the dorsal process of the prefrontals. The articulation surfaces with the postfrontal/ postorbitofrontal can be present laterally near the posterior margin. Each lateral margin of the frontals develops in ventral direction forming a crista cranii that borders the olfactory lobes of the brain laterally. The anterior processes develop in anteroventral direction from the anterior end of each crista.
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