Lab #5: Lepidosauria
Part 1: Shenodonta and Sauria
Introduction
Eureptilia contains two extant lineages of reptiles, which are sister taxa. These two extant lineages are Archosauromorpha and Lepidosauromorpha, Some of the most iconic reptiles known to humans are contained within Lepidosauromorpha, which include:
- Sphenodontida (Extant Tuatara and Rhynchocephalian)
- Sauria (Lizards)
- Serpentes (Snakes)
Lepidosauria all exhibit the following synapomorphies:
- Transverse cloacal aperture (vent)
- Notched tongue (- lingul prehension)
- Full-body ecdysis
- Imperforate columella
- Teeth attached to jaws
- Pelvic bones fused in adults
- Fracture planes on septa within caudal vertebrae
Squamata
- Comprised of Sauria and Serpentes
- Contains over 8,000 species (5,019 species within Sauria alone)
- Inhabit all contents but Antarctica
- Found in hot and cold climates
- Found in high and low elevations
- Found in dry and wet environments
- Found in freshwater and marine habitats
- Greatest diversity found in semiarid habitats
- Characterized from their skeletal and soft anatomy
- Defined by more than 50 synapomorphies
The following is a list of 12 reviewed synapomorphies discussed in lab exhibited by Squamates:
- Fused premaxillae
- Fused parietal
- Reduced nasals
- Lack of volmerine teeth
- Specialized joints between ulna-ulnare and radius-radiale
- Specialized ankle joints
- WEll developed hemipenes
- Saccular ovaries
- Jacobson's organ (vomeronasal organ) seperate from nasal capsule
- Lacrimal duct joining the vomeronasal duct
- Femoral and pre-anal glands
- Egg tooth at hatching
YELLOW ARE THE FAMILIES WE DISCUSSED IN LAB
Families Represented in Lab (alphabetical order):
Agamidae
(Angleheads, Calotes, Dragon Lizards, and Allies)
(Angleheads, Calotes, Dragon Lizards, and Allies)
Classification: Squamata; Toxicofera; Iguania; Acrodonta;
Agamidae.
Sister taxon: Chamaeleonidae.
Two Subfamilies: Agaminae and “Leiolepidinae.”
Distribution: Africa, Asia, Australia, and Tasmania
Chamaeleonidae
Content: Ten genera, Bradypodion, Brookesia, Calumma,
Chamaeleo, Furcifer, Kinyongia, Nadzikambia, Rhampho-
leon, Rieppeleon, and Trioceros, with 186 species.
Distribution: Africa, the Middle East, Madagascar, south-
ern Spain, Sri Lanka, and India
- Acrodont teeth
- laterally compressed bodies
- prehensile tails
- head casques covering their necks
- zygodacty- (feet fusion of sets of two and three digits, form-ing opposable, two-digited mitten-like fore and hind feet; manus fusion 1–2–3 and 4–5, pes 1–2 and 3–4–5)
- projectile tongues
- independently movable eyes
Gekkota
Eublepharidae
Eyelid Geckos
Classification: Squamata; Gekkota; Gekkomorpha; Eublepharidae.
Sister taxon: The ((Gekkonidae+Phyllodactylidae) Sphaerodactylidae) clade.
Content: Six genera, Aeluroscalabotes, Coleonyx, Eublepharis, Goniurosaurus, Hemitheconyx, and Holodac- tylus, Distribution: Disjunct in southwestern North America and northern Central America, and sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia
Eyelid Geckos
Classification: Squamata; Gekkota; Gekkomorpha; Eublepharidae.
Sister taxon: The ((Gekkonidae+Phyllodactylidae) Sphaerodactylidae) clade.
Content: Six genera, Aeluroscalabotes, Coleonyx, Eublepharis, Goniurosaurus, Hemitheconyx, and Holodac- tylus, Distribution: Disjunct in southwestern North America and northern Central America, and sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia
Key Characteristics
LACK TOE PADS
HAVE EYELIDS
Sphaerodactylidae
Dwarf Geckos
Classification: Squamata; Gekkota; Gekkomorpha; Sphaerodactylidae.
Classification: Squamata; Gekkota; Gekkomorpha; Sphaerodactylidae.
Sister taxon: The clade (Gekkonidae + Phyllodactylidae).
Content: Twelve genera, Aristelliger, Chatogekko, Coleo-
dactylus, Euleptes, Gonatodes, Lepidoblepharis, Pristurus,
Pesudogonatodes, Quedenfeldtia, Saurodactylus, Sphaero-
dactylus, and Teratoscincus
-Small like their common name suggests(dwarf gecko)
-Have spectacles
Gekkonidae
Wall-Climbing Geckos
Classification: Squamata; Gekkota; Gekkomorpha; Gek- konidae.
Sister taxon: Phyllodactylidae.
Content: Fifty genera, Afroedura, Afrogecko, Agamura, Ailuronyx, Alsophylax, Asiocolotes, Blaesodactylus, Calodac- tylodes, Chondrodactylus, Christinus, Cnemaspis, Colopus, Crossobamon, Cryptactites, Cyrtopodion, Dixonius, Ebena- via, Elasmodactylus, Geckoella, Geckolepis, Gehyra, Gekko, Goggia, Hemidactylus, Hemiphyllodactylus, Heteronotia, Homopholis, Lepidodactylus, Luperosaurus, Lygodactylus, Matoatoa, Nactus, Narudasia, Pachydactylus, Paragehyra, Paroedura, Perochirus, Phelsuma, Pseudogekko, Ptenopus, Ptychozoon, Rhinogecko, Roptropella, Rhoptropus, Stenodac- tylus, Tropiocolotes, Urocotyledon, and Uroplatus, with 885+ species.
Distribution: Pantropic including islands. Introduced in temperate North and South America
Wall-Climbing Geckos
Classification: Squamata; Gekkota; Gekkomorpha; Gek- konidae.
Sister taxon: Phyllodactylidae.
Content: Fifty genera, Afroedura, Afrogecko, Agamura, Ailuronyx, Alsophylax, Asiocolotes, Blaesodactylus, Calodac- tylodes, Chondrodactylus, Christinus, Cnemaspis, Colopus, Crossobamon, Cryptactites, Cyrtopodion, Dixonius, Ebena- via, Elasmodactylus, Geckoella, Geckolepis, Gehyra, Gekko, Goggia, Hemidactylus, Hemiphyllodactylus, Heteronotia, Homopholis, Lepidodactylus, Luperosaurus, Lygodactylus, Matoatoa, Nactus, Narudasia, Pachydactylus, Paragehyra, Paroedura, Perochirus, Phelsuma, Pseudogekko, Ptenopus, Ptychozoon, Rhinogecko, Roptropella, Rhoptropus, Stenodac- tylus, Tropiocolotes, Urocotyledon, and Uroplatus, with 885+ species.
Distribution: Pantropic including islands. Introduced in temperate North and South America
Helodermatidae
Gila Monster and Mexican Beaded Lizard
Classification: Squamata; Toxicophora; Anguimorpha; Helodermatidae.
Sister taxon: The clade Xenosauridae + (Anguidae + Dip- loglossidae + Anniellidae).
Content: One genus, Heloderma, with 2 species. Distribution: Southwestern North America, from the Sonoran Desert southward along the Mexican Pacific coast to Guatemala
Gila Monster and Mexican Beaded Lizard
Classification: Squamata; Toxicophora; Anguimorpha; Helodermatidae.
Sister taxon: The clade Xenosauridae + (Anguidae + Dip- loglossidae + Anniellidae).
Content: One genus, Heloderma, with 2 species. Distribution: Southwestern North America, from the Sonoran Desert southward along the Mexican Pacific coast to Guatemala
- large lizards (300– 500 mm adult SVL).
- only lizards with well- developed venom glands.
- thick skin with rows of rounded scales circling ----the body, giving them a beaded appearance
- pleurodont, and pterygoid teeth are present
- synoptic fusion of dermal bones to skull table
Phrynosomatidae (North American Spiny Lizards)
Classification: Squamata; Toxicofera; Iguania; Pleurodonta; Phrynosomatidae.
Sister taxon: All other Pleurodonta
Nine genera: Callisaurus, Cophosaurus, Hol- brookia, Petrosaurus, Phrynosoma, Sceloporus, Uma, Urosaurus, and Uta
Distribution: Southern half of North America to western Panama
Distribution: Southern half of North America to western Panama
Characteristics:
- Moderately sized lizards
- Arid-adapted species
- Robust spiny-scaled body
- Terrestrial and Semi-terrestrial
- Occur in seasonal environments (reproduction strongly seasonal)
Iguanidae (Iguanas and Allies)
Classification: Squamata; Toxicofera; Iguania; Pleurodonta; Iguanidae Sister taxon: Crotaphytidae Eight Genera: Amblyrhynchus, Brachylophus, Conolophus, Ctenosaura, Cyclura, Dipsosaurus, Iguana, and Sauromalus Distribution: Americas from southwestern United States to Paraguay and southern Brazil, West Indies, Galápagos, and west-central Pacific islands (Neotropics)
Characteristics:
- Typically large lizards
- Predominantly terrestrial
- Rarely descend into ground
- Exclusively herbivorous
Corytophanidae (Casque-Head or Helmeted Lizards)
Classification: Squamata; Toxicofera; Iguania; Pleurodonta; Corytophanidae.
Sister taxon: Dactyloidae
Three genera: Basiliscus, Corytophanes, and Lae- manctus
Distribution: Southern Mexico to northern South America
Sister taxon: Dactyloidae
Three genera: Basiliscus, Corytophanes, and Lae- manctus
Distribution: Southern Mexico to northern South America
Characteristics:
- Arboreal lizards
- Casque-headed
- Slender bodies
- Long limbed
- Rarely ascend to ground, except to lay eggs, and forage
Dactyloidae (True Anoles)
Classification: Squamata; Toxicofera; Iguania; Pleurodonta; Dactyloidae.
Sister taxon: Polychrotidae.
One Genus: Anolis
Distribution: Southeastern United States through Central America and the West Indies to tropical and subtropical South America
Sister taxon: Polychrotidae.
One Genus: Anolis
Distribution: Southeastern United States through Central America and the West Indies to tropical and subtropical South America
Characteristics:
- Most speciose pleurodontan lizards
- Arboreal species, specialized foot morphology
- Sexual dimorphism, males are larger
- Sit and wait predators on arthropods
Scincidae (Skinks)
Classification: Squamata; Scinciformata; Scincimorpha; Scincidae.
Sister taxon: Xantusiidae
Two subfamilies: Acontinae and “Scincinae”
Distribution: Nearly worldwide
Characteristics ("Scincinae"):
Sister taxon: Xantusiidae
Two subfamilies: Acontinae and “Scincinae”
Distribution: Nearly worldwide
- Highly diverse group
- Cylindrical bodies and tails
- Conical head
- well developed moderately short limbs
- Shiny, smooth scales
- Others are short and robust with heavily keeled scales
- Many are active foragers
Teiidae (Whiptail, Tegus, and Allies)
Characteristics:
- Small, granular dorsal and lateral body scales
- Rectangular, large, juxtaposed, transverse rows of ventral scales
- Many are terrestrial and forage on forest ground
Varanidae (Monitors and Goannas)
Classification: Squamata; Toxicophora; Anguimorpha; Varanidae.
Sister taxon: Lanthanotidae.
One Genus:Varanus
Distribution: Warm temperate and tropical Africa south of the Sahara, eastward through Asia to Australia and islands in the southwestern Pacific
Sister taxon: Lanthanotidae.
One Genus:Varanus
Distribution: Warm temperate and tropical Africa south of the Sahara, eastward through Asia to Australia and islands in the southwestern Pacific
Characteristics:
- Large in size
- Thick skin with numerous rows of small, rounded scales circling body
- Ventral scales larger than dorsal scales
- Rectangular scales on ventral surface
- Very snake-like tongue
- Relatively small heads with long necks and large robust bodies
- Well enveloped limbs
- Long muscular tails
Ohio Diversity within Lepidosauria
Within Ohio there are few native species of lizards. the sate only contains two families and five species.
1) Family: Iguanidae
Sceloporus undulates garmani (Northern Fence Lizard)
2) Family: Scincidae (Skinks)
Scincella lateralis (Ground Skink)
Plestiodon fasciatus (Five-Lined Skink)
Plestiodon laticeps (Broad-Headed Skink)
Plestiodon anthracinus (Northern Coal Skink)
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