Melanosaurini Sullivan, 1979

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 : 118

Melanosaurini Sullivan, 1979

(figs. 54D, 55D)

DEFINITION: All taxa sharing a more recent common ancestor with Melanosaurus maximus than with Glyptosaurus sylvestris .

DIAGNOSIS: Melanosaurus maximus and Arpadosaurus gazinorum are united in this analysis based on one unambiguous synapomorphy: 88(1) supratemporal 3 times as long as deep.

COMMENTS: Estes (1983) suggested that any re-evaluation of the interrelationships of A. gazinorum and M. maximus must consider the possibility of the synonymy of the two. Indeed, the present analysis finds no diagnostic characters to separate these two taxa. However, the absence of autapomorphies for these taxa may be related to the incompleteness of A. gazinorum remains. If they are considered conspecific specimens, then Melanosaurini is taxonomically synonymous with Melanosaurus maximus in the present topology. However, the current definition of Melanosaurini allows for the addition of taxa if future discoveries produce new taxa more closely related to M. maximus than to Glyptosaurus sylvestris . The current definition also maintains the perceived spirit of usage set forth in Sullivan (1979).