Chamaeleonidae
|
publication ID |
https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz035 |
|
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9C298799-D250-5A29-FC95-FB3025F9AB9B |
|
treatment provided by |
Plazi |
|
scientific name |
Chamaeleonidae |
| status |
|
Chamaeleonidae View in CoL View at ENA ( Fig. 11D, E View Figure 11 )
The anterior premaxillary process of the maxilla of Chamaeleo chamaeleon is strongly curved medially ( Fig. 11E View Figure 11 ), contacting the other maxilla with a straight anteromedial margin. There are neither anteromedial nor anterolateral processes, although a small notch for the insertion of the very small premaxilla is present. The palatal shelf develops a moderately large medial expansion in the middle, which is the contact surface with the palatine; the articulation surface is recognizable in dorsal view. The posterior process is not stepped and has a moderately deep groove on the dorsal surface. Teeth are carried on the ventral margin of the bone and are present along its entire length, but in MNHN 241 and 2002-24 and NHMW 611 they lack on the posterior end ( Fig. 11E View Figure 11 ). Teeth are acrodont, triangular and tricuspid. They are well spaced [although exceptions may occur, e.g. NHMW 611, Fig. 11E View Figure 11 ; but see also Čerňanský (2011)] and larger in the posterior portion of the alveolar border. The lateral surface of the bone is smooth ( Fig. 11D View Figure 11 ). Usually only one ventrolateral foramen is present ( Fig. 11E View Figure 11 ), but rarely two of them can be present (e.g. the right maxilla of MNHN 1942-103 and the left ones of NHMW 611 and 721). Two dorsally developed processes are present: a first one anteriorly to the external nares and a second one (facial process) posteriorly to it. The anterior dorsal process is dorsally bifid: the lateral portion contacts the anterior end of the prefrontal posterodorsally, whereas the medial portion contacts the nasal dorsally and the ascending nasal process of the premaxilla medially. On the dorsal surface of this process, two large and rounded tubercles are present along its lateral margin (three in the left maxilla of NHMW 611). The facial process is slightly larger than the anterior dorsal one in lateral view and touches the lateral process of the prefrontal dorsally. Ventrolateral foramina are located at the base of this second process ( Fig. 11D View Figure 11 ). The maximum length of the alveolar border goes from 15.1 mm to 19 mm, whereas the number of tooth positions varies from 14 to 21.
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.