Lacertidae

Villa, Andrea & Delfino, Massimo, 2019, A comparative atlas of the skull osteology of European lizards (Reptilia: Squamata), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 187 (3), pp. 828-928 : 893

Lacertidae ( Fig. 43E–H )

Lacertids have a narrow and almost horizontal mandibular symphysis. The Meckelian fossa is wide, but narrows towards the anterior end of the bone. In lacertids, the subdental shelf protrudes more medially than in Laudakia stellio and Chamaeleo chamaeleon . It is rather narrow in medial view and can display a very little ventral expansion towards its anterior end. The subdental ridge and the sulcus dentalis are well distinct. Teeth are slender, cylindrical, pleurodont, mono- and bicuspid [morphotype B and G sensu Kosma (2004), respectively]. As in the maxillae, there can be also tricuspid teeth [morphotype H sensu Kosma (2004)], mostly in large-sized species.A distinct increase in the robustness of the teeth is visible in the posterior part of the tooth row of Algyroides , Ar. bedriagae , Da. oxycephala , Di. mosorensis , E. arguta , H. graeca , I. monticola , Lacerta , Po. filfolensis , Po. hispanicus , Po. lilfordi , Po. melisellensis , Po. milensis , Po. muralis , Po. pityusensis , Po. tauricus , Po. waglerianus , Ti. lepidus , Z. vivipara and some specimens of Po. siculus . Size and proportions of the pointed posterior processes vary within species: they are similar in length in Ac. erythrurus , E. arguta , Lacerta viridis , Ti. lepidus , and in adults of I. bonnali , Lacerta agilis , Lacerta schreiberi , Lacerta trilineata , Po. bocagei , Po. carbonelli , Po. hispanicus , Po. muralis and Psammodromus algirus , whereas the inferior one is longer than the superior one in Algyroides , Ar. bedriagae , Da. oxycephala , Di. mosorensis , H. graeca , I. cyreni , I. horvathi , I. monticola , Ophisops elegans , Po. filfolensis , Po. melisellensis , Po. milensis , Po. pityusensis , Po. siculus , Po. tauricus , Po. tiliguerta , Po. waglerianus , Ps. hispanicus , Z. vivipara ( Fig. 43G, H ) and in juveniles of I. bonnali , Lacerta agilis , Lacerta schreiberi , Po. bocagei , Po. carbonelli , Po. hispanicus , Po. muralis and Psammodromus algirus . According to Barahona (1996) and Barahona & Barbadillo (1997), the superior process always is the longest one in Lacerta bilineata [= Lacerta viridis in Barahona (1996)]. However, in all the herein-studied specimens of this species, the degree of development of the posterior processes follows the standard pattern of other Lacerta species (i.e. equally long in adults, but inferior one longer in juveniles and subadults; Fig. 43E, F ). The ventral margin is distinctly convex in medial view. Measurements and number of tooth positions and mental foramina, and the position of the posterior end of the intramandibular septum, are given in the Supporting Information 3.

Figures

Figure 43. Dentaries.A–B, Laudakia stellio (MDHC 245), right dentary in medial (A) and lateral (B) views. C–D, Chamaeleo chamaeleon (NHMW 611), left dentary in medial (C) and lateral (D) views. E–F, Lacerta bilineata (MDHC 84), left dentary in medial (E) and lateral (F) views. G–H, Z. vivipara (MDHC 179), right dentary in medial (G) and lateral (H) views. I–J, Ab. kitaibelii (MDHC 239), left dentary in medial (I) and lateral (J) views. K–L, Chalcides ocellatus (MDHC 250), right dentary in medial (K) and lateral (L) views. M–N, Ophiomorus punctatissimus (MDHC 427), left dentary in medial (M) and lateral (N) views. O–P, Tr. aurata (MDHC 280), right dentary in medial (O) and lateral (P) views. Q–R, Anguis gr.An. fragilis (MDHC 102), right dentary in medial (Q) and lateral (R) views. S–T, Pseudopus apodus (MDHC 214), right dentary in medial (S) and lateral (T) views. Abbreviations: ac, alveolar canal; as, alveolar shelf; asf, opening of the anterior surangular foramen; cp, central posterior process; ig, interdental groove; ip, inferior posterior process; is, intramandibular septum; mfr, mental foramen; mfs, Meckelian fossa; ms, mandibular symphysis; pr, posterior recess; sp, superior posterior process; sr, subdental ridge; ssh, subdental shelf; ssp, splenial spine; st, subdental table. Scale bars = 1 mm.