Gekkonidae Gray, 1825

Conrad, J. L., 2008, Phylogeny And Systematics Of Squamata (Reptilia) Based On Morphology, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2008 (310), pp. 1-182 : 95

Gekkonidae Gray, 1825

(figs. 54B, 55B)

DEFINITION: All taxa sharing a more recent common ancestor with Gekko gecko than with Pygopus lepidopus or Eublepharis hardwickii .

DIAGNOSIS: The current analysis reveals six unambiguous synapomorphies for a clade minimally containing Teratoscincus microlepis , Gekko gecko , Gonatodes albogularis , and Pachydactylus bibronii . These are 26(1) the presence of strong medial processes of the maxillae posterior to the nasal process of the premaxilla, 104(1) presence of a contact between the septomaxilla and the osseous roof of the nasal capsule, 106(1) fused vomers, 113(0) absence of a distinct choanal groove on the palatine, 242(1) presence of seven or fewer cervical vertebrae, and 325(3) endolymphatic sacs extending into the nuchal musculature through the vagus foramen.

COMMENTS: Note that Gekkonoidea as used by Kluge (1987) and defined by Conrad and Norell (2006a) is taxonomically equivalent to Gekkonidae as defined here and with the present phylogenetic hypothesis. Howev- er, as discussed earlier, this result is acceptable to keep the meaning of the name consistent.

Conrad and Norell (2006a) suggested that Teratoscincus was closely related to pygopodids, but cautioned that a more inclusive analysis might reveal a different hypothesis. Indeed, the current analysis places Teratoscincus microlepis in a more traditional position as a member of the Gekkonidae . However, I will echo the cautionary statement of Conrad and Norell (2006a) in warning that the current sampling of gekkonids is relatively sparse and that more complete sampling is in order for future versions of this analysis. With that in mind, I will not further discuss gekkonid interrelationships here.