Lacertidae
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz035 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9C298799-D25A-5A23-FC95-FB802346AC57 |
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treatment provided by |
Plazi |
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scientific name |
Lacertidae |
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Lacertidae View in CoL View at ENA ( Fig. 14F–N View Figure 14 )
In lacertids, the prefrontal has a distinct and size-linked dermal ornamentation on the dorsal surface ( Fig. 14F, L View Figure 14 ), with larger species provided with a stronger cover. Acanthodactylus erythrurus , Al. fitzingeri , E. arguta and Ophisops elegans have particularly poorly marked ornamentation ( Fig. 14I View Figure 14 ). The anterodorsal process is covered with this ornamentation on its posterior-half, whereas the anterior-half is smooth. The lacrimal foramen is represented by a deep and wide notch. A long, slender and laterally directed projection is present dorsally to the notch in Ophisops elegans ( Fig. 14I, J View Figure 14 ). A similar, but proportionally smaller process can be present in Ti. lepidus too ( Fig. 14L, M View Figure 14 ). The dorsal process is robust; in lateral view, it is slightly longer than the orbitonasal flange in Ac. erythrurus , Al. marchi , Al. moreoticus , Ophisops elegans and Psammodromus ( Fig. 14K View Figure 14 ), but it is shorter (roughly as long as the flange or even shorter than it) in the other species ( Fig. 14G, N View Figure 14 ). At least in Al. nigropunctatus , this character could be subject to individual variation, since the dorsal process is longer than the flange in MDHC 242, an adult male, but distinctly shorter than it in MDHC 171 and 243, a possible juvenile female and an adult male, respectively. A distinct palpebral crest runs along the entire lateral surface of the process; it is more developed in large-sized species.
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.