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-D26A-5A13-FC95-FEC82083AC78 |
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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. 26Q–T View Figure 26 )
In anguids, the palatine has a long, slender and pointed vomerine process, which is slightly concave in dorsal direction. The maxillary process is slender and well developed. It has a T-like shape in dorsal view, because of the presence on its distal end of a short, triangular and posteriorly developed expansion connected to a similarly-shaped and anteriorly directed ventral lappet (probably homologous to that of lacertids). The lateral surface of the process, composed by both the expansion and the lappet, presents the concave maxillary facet ( Fig. 26R View Figure 26 ). The infraorbital foramen is wide. The pterygoid process is long, slender and subrectangular. In Anguis gr. An. fragilis , a deep and narrow V-shaped notch is visible in the middle of its posterior end ( Fig. 26Q, R View Figure 26 ), which is, therefore, split into two pointed and equally long portions. In contrast, the notch is small or absent in Pseudopus apodus ( Fig. 26S, T View Figure 26 ). The articulation surface with the palatine process of the pterygoid covers the entire medial half of the ventral surface of the bone ( Fig. 26R, T View Figure 26 ), being marked medially by an oblique ridge running from the anteromedial to the posterolateral corner of the bone. The dorsal surface of the palatine is smooth, except for a narrow groove [sulcus dorsalis in Klembara et al. (2010)] running posterolaterally from the anteromedial corner ( Fig. 26Q, S View Figure 26 ). A moderately developed palatine ridge composes the anterior margin of the bone. The choanal groove is wide. Anguis gr. An. fragilis has no palatine teeth ( Fig. 26R View Figure 26 ), but a single row of them is present on the lateral half of the ventral surface of the pterygoid process in Pseudopus apodus ( Fig. 26T View Figure 26 ).
PTERYGOID
The paired pterygoid ( Figs 27 View Figure 27 , 28 View Figure 28 ) is composed of three branches: the anteromedial palatine process, the anterolateral pterygoid flange and the posterior quadrate process. Anteriorly, the pterygoid recess separates the palatine process and the pterygoid flange. The palatine process is laminar, but strengthens towards the medial margin. The pterygoid flange is usually pointed and slender, and bears two ridges that run along its dorsal and ventral surfaces. These ridges represent the insertion points of the superficial pseudotemporal muscle and of the pterigomandibular muscle, respectively ( Barahona, 1996). The quadrate process is characterized by the presence of the subcircular fossa columellae on the dorsal surface and of the basipterygoid fossa on the medial one. Posterior to the former, a pterygoid ridge runs along the dorsolateral surface of the bone, whereas the basipterygoid fossa continues posteriorly in a concave surface for the insertion of the pterygoideus muscle. Pterygoid teeth can be present on the ventral surface of the palatine process.
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