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-D25F-5A27-FF1F-F9E02453AB50 |
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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. 19F–P View Figure 19 )
In lacertids, the postfrontal and postorbital usually remain separated, but they fuse in older individuals of Al. nigropunctatus , most species of Lacerta , Po. siculus and Ti. lepidus and form a postorbitofrontal ( Fig. 19O, P View Figure 19 ) in E. arguta , Lacerta schreiberi , Psammodromus and Z. vivipara . When free, the postfrontal is long, large and laminar, with two processes at the concave anterior end ( Fig. 19F–K View Figure 19 ). The anteromedial process is long and pointed, its medial surface being the concave articulation surface with the frontal, whereas the anterolateral process is short (longer in Lacerta agilis ; Fig. 19F, G View Figure 19 ) and pointed. The anteromedial process is expanded in Lacerta ( Fig. 19F–I View Figure 19 ) and Ti. lepidus , at least in adults, whereas the anterolateral one is lacking in Ar. bedriagae , I. aurelioi , I. bonnali (but present in UAM.R.Lm28A), I. horvathi and Ophisops elegans ( Fig. 19J, K View Figure 19 ). On the ventral surface, a low ridge runs for the entire length of the bone near its lateral margin: the area located laterally to this ridge is the articulation surface with the postorbital ( Fig. 19I View Figure 19 ). The anterior end of the ridge curves medially and then again laterally, forming a V-shaped notch that houses the anteromedial process of the postorbital. The posterior end of the postfrontal can be poorly ossified. A dermal ornamentation is present on the dorsal surface of the bone ( Fig. 19F, H View Figure 19 ). This ornamentation is moderately or well developed in all species, except for Ac. erythrurus , Al. marchi , I. bonnali , I. horvathi and Ophisops elegans ( Fig. 19J View Figure 19 ). Traces left by supraocular scales can be visible. The free postorbital is L-shaped and narrow ( Fig. 19L–N View Figure 19 ). It is composed by three pointed processes: the very short anteromedial process, the anterolateral process (usually the largest one) and the narrow posterior process (the longest one). The postorbital of Da. oxycephala , I. aurelioi , I. bonnali , Po. filfolensis and Po. pityusensis lacks the anteromedial process ( Fig. 19L View Figure 19 ). Barahona (1996) stated that this process is lacking in adults of Lacerta bilineata ( Lacerta viridis in her text) as well, but a moderately to well-developed one has been identified in all the herein-studied specimens, either juveniles or adults. It has to be noted that she incorrectly named the missing process as the anterolateral one in the main text, but then marked the anteromedial one in the figures. The anteromedial process can either be present and well developed or absent in Lacerta trilineata . Both dorsal and ventral surfaces of the postorbital are usually smooth, but a dermal ornamentation can be sometimes present externally (e.g. Po. bocagei UAM.R.PB 48; Fig. 19M View Figure 19 ).
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