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 : 896

Lacertidae ( Fig. 45A–F )

Lacertids have a large and long splenial, with pointed anterior and posterior ends. Lacerta agilis , Lacerta bilineata , Lacerta schreiberi , Lacerta viridis and Ti. lepidus can frequently have a forked anterior end ( Fig. 45E, F ). This feature can sometimes also be present in I. cyreni and Z. vivipara . The foramina are located roughly in the middle of the bone and are close to each other. The anterior inferior foramen is large, whereas the anterior mylohyoid one is small. The medial surface of the bone is smooth and slightly concave. Two ridges are present on the lateral one: the dorsal crest runs along the dorsal margin, whereas the medial crest extends longitudinally in the middle of the surface. The splenial of Ac. erythrurus is expanded ventrally ( Fig. 45A, B ).

Figures

Figure 45. Splenials.A–B, Ac. erythrurus (UAM.R.ACVII), left splenial in lateral (A) and medial (B) views. C–D, Po.tauricus (MDHC 153), left splenial in lateral (C) and medial (D) views. E–F, Ti. lepidus (MDHC 216), left splenial in lateral (E) and medial (F) views. G, Ab. kitaibelii (NHMW 751b), right splenial in medial view. H, Ab. kitaibelii (NHMW 751a), articulated right splenial in medial view. I–J, Chalcides chalcides (MDHC 398), right splenial in lateral (I) and medial (J) views. K–L, Ophiomorus punctatissimus (MDHC 427), left splenial in lateral (K) and medial (L) views. M–N, Tr. aurata (MDHC 280), right splenial in lateral (M) and medial (N) views. O–P, Anguis gr. An. fragilis (MDHC 102), left splenial in lateral (O) and medial (P) views. Q–R, Pseudopus apodus (MDHC 215), left splenial in lateral (Q) and medial (R) views. Abbreviations: aif, anterior inferior foramen; amf, anterior mylohyoid foramen; dc, dorsal crest; mc, medial crest; s, splenial. Scale bars = 1 mm.