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Dibamidae
Dibamidae or blind skinks is a family of lizards characterized by their elongated cylindrical body and an apparent lack of limbs. Female dibamids are entirely limbless and the males retain small flap-like hind limbs, which they use to grip their partner during mating. They have a rigidly fused skull, lack pterygoid teeth and external ears. Their eyes are greatly reduced, and covered with a scale. They are small insectivorous lizards, with long, slender bodies, adapted for burrowing into the soil. They usually lay one egg with a hard, calcified shell, rather than the leathery shells typical of many other reptile groups. The family Dibamidae has two genera, '' Dibamus'' with 23 species native to Southeast Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and western New Guinea and the monotypic '' Anelytropsis'' native to Mexico. Recent phylogenetic analyses place the dibamids as the sister clade to all the other lizards and snakes or classify them as sharing a common ancestor with the infraord ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Squamata
Squamata (, Latin ''squamatus'', 'scaly, having scales') is the largest Order (biology), order of reptiles; most members of which are commonly known as Lizard, lizards, with the group also including Snake, snakes. With over 11,991 species, it is also the second-largest order of Neontology, extant (living) vertebrates, after the Perciformes, perciform fish. Squamates are distinguished by their skins, which bear horny scale (zoology), scales or shields, and must periodically engage in molting. They also possess movable quadrate bones, making possible movement of the Maxilla, upper jaw relative to the neurocranium. This is particularly visible in snakes, which are able to open their mouths very widely to accommodate comparatively large prey. Squamates are the most variably sized living reptiles, ranging from the Sphaerodactylus ariasae, dwarf gecko (''Sphaerodactylus ariasae'') to the reticulated python (''Malayopython reticulatus''). The now-Extinction, extinct mosasaurs reached ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hoeckosaurus
''Hoeckosaurus'' is an extinct genus of lizard from the Oligocene of Mongolia. It contains a single species, ''H. mongoliensis''. The genus name commemorates Austrian paleontologist Gudrun Höck, who collected the type material. ''Hoeckosaurus'' was a member of the Dibamidae (a family of primitive legless squamates), and represents the only known fossil record of the Dibamidae, despite the presumed ancient origins of the group. Despite the close resemblance of the fossils to extant dibamids in the genera ''Dibamus'' and '' Anelytropsis'', some distinguishing features such as an open Meckelian groove suggests that ''Hoeckosaurus'' is basal to both. The remains of ''Hoeckosaurus'' consist of some jawbones, and were collected in 1995-1997 from the Valley of the Lakes in central Mongolia. The sediments they were collected from are thought to be Early Oligocene in age. Previous studies postulated the jaws as belonging to an arretosaurid (an extinct family of Asian iguanians) or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mexican Blind Lizard
The Mexican blind lizard (''Anelytropsis papillosus'') is a species of legless lizard in the family Dibamidae, and the only species in the genus ''Anelytropsis''. It is endemic to Mexico. They look like Amphisbaenia, but are in fact, only distantly related. Etymology Although early authors did not discuss the etymology, the generic name, ''Anelytropsis'', is presumed to be based on the Greek words: ''ana'' = up opon; ''elytron'' = shield; ''ops'' = eye, in reference to the eyes which are concealed by ocular scales. The trivial name or specific epithet, ''papillosus'', is Latin and refers to the minute papillae present on the scales in the anterior areas of the mouth and nose (rostral scale, first labial scale, and Loreal (scale), loreal).Campbell, Howard W. 1974. ''Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles: Anelytropsis, A. papillosus.'' Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 156:1–2. Description The Mexican blind lizard is a limbless lizard, adapted for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dibamus
''Dibamus'' is a genus of legless lizards in the Family (biology), family Dibamidae.species:Thy Neang, Neang T, species:Jeremy Holden, Holden J, species:Toby Eastoe, Eastoe T, species:Rathea Seng, Seng R, species:Saveng Ith, Ith S, :fr:Larry Lee Grismer, Grismer LL (2011). "A new species of ''Dibamus'' (Squamata: Dibamidae) from Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary, southwestern Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia". ''Zootaxa'' 2828: 58-68. Etymology Greek δίβαμος ''dibamos'' "two-footed, on two legs". Species The following 24 species are recognized as being valid. *''Dibamus alfredi'' – Alfred's blind skink, Alfred's dibamid lizard, Alfred's limbless skink *''Dibamus bogadeki'' *''Dibamus booliati'' – Boo Liat's blind lizard *''Dibamus bourreti'' – René Léon Bourret, Bourret's blind skink *''Dibamus celebensis'' *''Dibamus dalaiensis'' *''Dibamus deharvengi'' *''Dibamus dezwaani'' *''Dibamus floweri'' – Flowers's blind lizard *''Dibamus greeri'' – :fr:Allen Edd ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gekkota
Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates. They range from . Geckos are unique among lizards for their vocalisations, which differ from species to species. Most geckos in the family Gekkonidae use chirping or clicking sounds in their social interactions. Tokay geckos (''Gekko gecko'') are known for their loud mating calls, and some other species are capable of making hissing noises when alarmed or threatened. They are the most species-rich group of lizards, with about 1,500 different species worldwide. All geckos, except species in the family Eublepharidae lack eyelids; instead, the outer surface of the eyeball has a transparent membrane, the brille. They have a fixed lens within each iris that enlarges in darkness to let in more light. Since they cannot blink, species without eyelids generally lick their own brilles when the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger (19 October 1858 – 23 November 1937) was a Belgian-British zoologist who described and gave scientific names to over 2,000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Boulenger was also an active botanist during the last 30 years of his life, especially in the study of roses. Life Boulenger was born in Brussels, Belgium, the only son of Gustave Boulenger, a Belgian public notary, and Juliette Piérart, from Valenciennes. He graduated in 1876 from the Free University of Brussels (1834–1969), Free University of Brussels with a degree in natural sciences, and worked for a while at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, as an assistant naturalist studying amphibians, reptiles, and fishes. He also made frequent visits during this time to the ''National Museum of Natural History (France), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle'' in Paris and the Natural History Museum, London, British Museum in London. Boulenger develop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osteoderm
Osteoderms are bony deposits forming scales, plates, or other structures based in the dermis. Osteoderms are found in many groups of extant and extinct reptiles and amphibians, including lizards, crocodilians, frogs, temnospondyls (extinct amphibians), various groups of dinosaurs (most notably ankylosaurs and stegosaurians), phytosaurs, aetosaurs, placodonts, and hupehsuchians (marine reptiles with possible ichthyosaur affinities). Osteoderms are uncommon in mammals, although they have occurred in many xenarthrans (armadillos and the extinct glyptodonts and mylodontid ground sloths). The heavy, bony osteoderms have evolved independently in many different lineages. The armadillo osteoderm is believed to develop in subcutaneous dermal tissues. These varied structures should be thought of as anatomical analogues, not homologues, and do not necessarily indicate monophyly. The structures are however derived from scutes, common to all classes of amniotes and are an exampl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pineal Foramen
A parietal eye (third eye, pineal eye) is a part of the epithalamus in some vertebrates. The eye is at the top of the head; is photoreceptive; and is associated with the pineal gland, which regulates circadian rhythmicity and hormone production for thermoregulation. The hole that contains the eye is known as the pineal foramen or parietal foramen, because it is often enclosed by the parietal bones. The parietal eye was discovered by Franz Leydig, in 1872, from work with lizards. Discovery Franz Leydig, a professor of zoology at the University of Tübingen, dissected four species of European lizards—the slow worm ('' Anguis fragilis'') and three species of '' Lacerta''. in 1872; He found cup-like protrusions under the middles of their brains. He believed the protrusions to be glandular and called them frontal organs (German ''Stirnorgan''). In 1886, Walter Baldwin Spencer, an anatomist at the University of Oxford, reported the results of his dissection of 29 species of li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quadrate Bone
The quadrate bone is a skull bone in most tetrapods, including amphibians, sauropsids ( reptiles, birds), and early synapsids. In most tetrapods, the quadrate bone connects to the quadratojugal and squamosal bones in the skull, and forms upper part of the jaw joint. The lower jaw articulates at the articular bone, located at the rear end of the lower jaw. The quadrate bone forms the lower jaw articulation in all classes except mammals. Evolutionarily, it is derived from the hindmost part of the primitive cartilaginous upper jaw. Function in reptiles In certain extinct reptiles, the variation and stability of the morphology of the quadrate bone has helped paleontologists in the species-level taxonomy and identification of mosasaur squamates and spinosaurine dinosaurs. In some lizards and dinosaurs, the quadrate is articulated at both ends and movable. In snakes, the quadrate bone has become elongated and very mobile, and contributes greatly to their ability to swallow ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neurocranium
In human anatomy, the neurocranium, also known as the braincase, brainpan, brain-pan, or brainbox, is the upper and back part of the skull, which forms a protective case around the brain. In the human skull, the neurocranium includes the calvaria or skullcap. The remainder of the skull is the facial skeleton. In comparative anatomy, neurocranium is sometimes used synonymously with endocranium or chondrocranium. Structure The neurocranium is divided into two portions: * the membranous part, consisting of flat bones, which surround the brain; and * the cartilaginous part, or chondrocranium, which forms bones of the base of the skull. In humans, the neurocranium is usually considered to include the following eight bones: * 1 ethmoid bone * 1 frontal bone * 1 occipital bone * 2 parietal bones * 1 sphenoid bone * 2 temporal bones The ossicles (three on each side) are usually not included as bones of the neurocranium. There may variably also be extra sutural bones present. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Post-temporal Fenestra
The skull, or cranium, is typically a bony enclosure around the brain of a vertebrate. In some fish, and amphibians, the skull is of cartilage. The skull is at the head end of the vertebrate. In the human, the skull comprises two prominent parts: the neurocranium and the facial skeleton, which evolved from the first pharyngeal arch. The skull forms the frontmost portion of the axial skeleton and is a product of cephalization and vesicular enlargement of the brain, with several special senses structures such as the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and, in fish, specialized tactile organs such as barbels near the mouth. The skull is composed of three types of bone: cranial bones, facial bones and ossicles, which is made up of a number of fused flat and irregular bones. The cranial bones are joined at firm fibrous junctions called sutures and contains many foramina, fossae, processes, and sinuses. In zoology, the openings in the skull are called fenestrae, the most prominent of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Supratemporal Fenestra
Temporal fenestrae are openings in the temporal region of the skull of some amniotes, behind the orbit (eye socket). These openings have historically been used to track the evolution and affinities of reptiles. Temporal fenestrae are commonly (although not universally) seen in the fossilized skulls of dinosaurs and other sauropsids (the total group of reptiles, including birds). The major reptile group Diapsida, for example, is defined by the presence of two temporal fenestrae on each side of the skull. The infratemporal fenestra, also called the lateral temporal fenestra or lower temporal fenestra, is the lower of the two and is exposed primarily in lateral (side) view.The supratemporal fenestra, also called the upper temporal fenestra, is positioned above the other fenestra and is exposed primarily in dorsal (top) view. In some reptiles, particularly dinosaurs, the parts of the skull roof lying between the supratemporal fenestrae are thinned out by excavations from the adjacent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
