Chamaeleonidae

Chamaeleonidae View in CoL View at ENA ( Fig. 41E–H View Figure 41 )

In Chamaeleo chamaeleon , the portion of the occipital condyle composed of each otooccipital corresponds to almost its half ( Figs 35 View Figure 35 , 41G–H View Figure 41 ).A large vagus foramen and, medially to it, a small hypoglossal foramen are present between the posterior semicircular canal and the condyle ( Fig. 41F View Figure 41 ). Another foramen is present between the vagus foramen and the contact with the sphenooccipital tubercles of the basioccipital. This latter foramen is small and completely encircled by the otooccipital and it is the only remnant of the lateral opening of the recessus scalae tympani ( Fig. 41F View Figure 41 ). The paroccipital process ( Fig. 41H View Figure 41 ) is straight, subrectangular in shape in posterior view and moderately thin in dorsal view. Low ridges are present along the dorsal-half and near the ventral margin of its anterior surface. The inner structures are more ossified in the otooccipitals than in the prootics ( Fig. 41E View Figure 41 ). Because of the reduction of the recessus scalae tympani, the perilymphatic foramen opens on the medial surface of the bone.