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-D25C-5A24-FC95-FF3F25D5AB36 |
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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. 19 View Figure 19 AE–AI)
Free postfrontal and postorbital are present in anguids. The former is roughly T-shaped in dorsal view, with a slightly concave anterior margin, and a straight and slender body ( Fig. 19 View Figure 19 AE–AH). In Anguis gr. An. fragilis , the body is roughly subrectangular, but its posterior end is usually poorly ossified and, therefore, it can appear more pointed ( Fig. 19 View Figure 19 AE–AF). Pseudopus apodus has a triangular body with a pointed end in dorsal view ( Fig. 19 View Figure 19 AG–AH). A long anteromedial process develops from the medial corner of the anterior margin: it is moderately ( Anguis gr. An. fragilis ; Fig. 19 View Figure 19 AE–AF) or distinctly ( Pseudopus apodus ; Fig. 19 View Figure 19 AG–AH) robust and roughly three times longer than the short anterolateral process. A concave articulation surface is visible on both the medial and the lateral margins, continuing also on the posterior margin of the processes. These surfaces contact the frontal/ parietal complex and the postorbital, respectively, and are less expanded in juveniles. Both the dorsal and ventral surfaces are smooth, but foramina can pierce the body of the bone. The postorbital ( Fig. 19 View Figure 19 AI) is reduced to a medially concave and blade-like bone in anguids. It has smooth outer and inner surfaces and a laminar and pointed posterior process. The anterior end is more thickened and presents a small hint of the strongly reduced anterolateral process, bending anterolaterally. The development and the thickness of this latter process are higher in Pseudopus apodus than in Anguis gr. An. fragilis . The concave medial surface articulates with the postfrontal, whereas a shallow concavity lodging the anterior end of the squamosal is barely visible laterally. As also reported by Klembara et al. (2017), the postorbital can expand medially with a variably developed and laminar ossification in adults and subadults of Pseudopus apodus ( Fig. 19 View Figure 19 AI).
SQUAMOSAL
The squamosal( Fig.20 View Figure 20 ) is a paired and anteroposteriorly elongated bone. An anterior process forms the anterior end, whereas the posterior portion can be composed by a single posterior process or by a ventrally developed quadrate process and a posterodorsally developed dorsal parietal process. The morphology of this bone is highly variable between different groups.
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