Chamaeleonidae

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 : 873

Chamaeleonidae ( Fig. 29F–J )

Chamaeleo chamaeleon has an ectopterygoid that is morphologically similar to the one of Laudakia stellio . The main differences among these are in the proportions of the three processes of the lateral end and in the morphology of the articulation surface with the pterygoid flange. In Chamaeleo chamaeleon , the ventral process is short and moderately wide, whereas the anterolateral and posterolateral ones are slightly longer, slender and more pointed ( Fig. 29J ). Moreover, the medial surface of the posteromedial process is narrow and subrectangular and has a concave and rough articulation surface ( Fig. 29I ).

Figures

Figure 29. Ectopterygoids. A–E, Laudakia stellio (MDHC 245), left ectopterygoid in anterior (A), dorsal (B), ventral (C), medial (D) and lateral (E) views. F–J, Chamaeleo chamaeleon (MNHN 2002–24), right ectopterygoid in anterior (F), dorsal (G), ventral (H), medial (I) and lateral (J) views. K–L, Ac. erythrurus (UAM.R.ACVII), right ectopterygoid in ventral (K) and dorsal (L) views. M–N, Lacerta agilis (MDHC 176), left ectopterygoid in ventral (M) and dorsal (N) views. O–P, Z. vivipara (UAM.R.Lv24), right ectopterygoid in ventral (O) and dorsal (P) views. Q–R, Ab. kitaibelii (MDHC 239), right ectopterygoid in ventral (Q) and dorsal (R) views. S–T, Chalcides ocellatus (MDHC 250), right ectopterygoid in ventral (S) and dorsal (T) views. U–V, Ophiomorus punctatissimus (MDHC 427), right ectopterygoid in ventral (U) and dorsal (V) views. W–X, Tr. aurata (MDHC 280), right ectopterygoid in ventral (W) and dorsal (X) views. Y–Z, Anguis gr.An. fragilis (MDHC 102), right ectopterygoid in ventral (Y) and dorsal (Z) views. AA–AB, Pseudopus apodus (MDHC 215), left ectopterygoid in ventral (AA) and dorsal (AB) views. Abbreviations: al, anteromedial lappet of the posteromedial process; alp, anterolateral process; asm, articulation surface with the maxilla; asp, articulation surface with the pterygoid flange; dl, dorsal lappet of the posteromedial process; plp, posterolateral process; pmp, posteromedial process; vl, ventral lappet of the posteromedial process; vp, ventral process. Scale bars = 1 mm.