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Monstersauria
Monstersauria is a clade of Anguimorpha, anguimorph lizards, defined as all taxa more closely related to ''Heloderma'' than ''Varanus''. It includes ''Heloderma'', as well as several extinct genera, such as ''Estesia'', ''Primaderma'' and ''Gobiderma'', but this group was found to be polyphyletic in the most recent and complete squamate phylogenetic analysis by Reeder ''et al.'' (2015). Classification Traditionally, Monstersauria was thought to include the modern Helodermatidae along with fossil genera such as ''Gobiderma'' and ''Estesia'' on the finding that it was a sister to Varanidae. But in more recent years, such as 2004 and 2008, more precise molecular studies have shown that the extant ''Heloderma'' is closer to Anguidae & kin than to Varanoidea. A large-scale integrated analysis on squamate phylogeny incorporating 737 characters of morphological and molecular data in 2015 analyzed the traditionally-monstersaurian fossil taxa along with the rest of the dataset, and what i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asprosaurus
''Asprosaurus'' () is an extinct genus of anguimorph lizard from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of South Korea. The genus contains a monotypic taxon, single species, ''A. bibongriensis'', which is the first Mesozoic lizard to have been discovered on the Korean peninsula. Initially classified as a possible monstersaurian, ''Asprosaurus'' has been subsequently suggested to be a probable Mosasauroidea, mosasauroid, an extinct group of Marine life, marine lizards during the Late Cretaceous. Discovery and naming The holotype of ''Asprosaurus'' (KDRC-BB4) is an associated specimen consisting of partial cranial and postcranial material. Initially interpreted as a turtle fossil, it was discovered in 2000 from the Seonso Conglomerate, one of the rock units that form the Boseong County, Boseong Bibong-ri Dinosaur Egg Site which also yielded the fossils of an ornithischian dinosaur ''Koreanosaurus'' and over 200 dinosaur eggs. The generic name means "white lizard", named so because the fos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bolg Amondol
''Bolg amondol'' is an extinct species of monstersaurian lizard from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian age) Kaiparowits Formation of Utah, United States. ''B. amondol'' is the only species in the genus ''Bolg'', known from a partial skeleton including bones of the skull, limbs, girdles, and vertebral column. Discovery and naming The ''Bolg'' holotype specimen, UMNH VP 16266, was discovered by Joseph Sertich in 2005 in outcrops of the middle Kaiparowits Formation ('Fossil Ridge' locality) in Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument of southern Utah, United States. The specimen consists of a fragmentary but associated skeleton likely belonging to a single individual, comprising cranial and limb bones, vertebrae, and elements from the pectoral and pelvic girdles. The identifiable skull bones are mostly incomplete, but include the premaxilla, right maxilla, left nasal, right jugal, right vomer, left palatine, right quadrate, and both dentaries. Thoracic, lumbar, and caudal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Morohasaurus
''Morohasaurus'' is an extinct genus of ''cf.'' monstersaurian squamates know from a single left dentary from the Early Cretaceous (?Albian) Ohyamashimo Formation of the Sasayama Group in Tamba City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The type and only species is ''Morohasaurus kamitakiensis.'' As of 2021, Ikeda et al. place this taxon ''a conferatur'' within Monstersauria based on general synapomorphies but without performing a phylogenetic analysis. The unique characters described in the paper to distinguish ''Morohasaurus kamitakiensis'' as a valid species include "the sinuous posteroventral rim of the dentary with a large U-shaped upper notch and small V-shaped lower notch, posteroventral corner of intramandibular septum with a weakly pointed eminence projecting posteriorly, and unicuspid, curved trenchant teeth with distinct blade-like carinae on their mesial and distal sides without grooves or serrations." If its presumed affinities are correct, ''Morohasaurus'' represents the o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neoanguimorpha
Neoanguimorpha is a clade of anguimorphs comprising Monstersauria (represented today by helodermatids) and Diploglossa (Xenosauridae Xenosauridae is a family of anguimorph lizards whose only living representative is the genus '' Xenosaurus'', which is native to Central America. Xenosauridae also includes the extinct genera '' Exostinus'' and '' Restes''. Also known as knob-sca ... and Anguioidea). Morphological studies in the past had classified helodermatids with the varanoids in the clade Platynota, while the Chinese crocodile lizard was classified as a xenosaurid. However molecular work found no support in these groupings and instead has found the helodermatids more related to Diploglossa, while the Chinese crocodile lizard and varanoids to form the clade Paleoanguimorpha. Below is the phylogeny of the neoanguimorph lineages after Pyron ''et al.'' (2013): See also * Paleoanguimorpha References Anguimorpha {{lizard-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anguimorpha
The Anguimorpha is a suborder of Squamata, squamates. The group was named by Fürbringer in 1900 to include all autarchoglossans closer to ''Varanus'' and ''Anguis'' than ''Scincus''. These lizards, along with iguanians and snakes, constitute the proposed "venom clade" Toxicofera of all venomous reptiles. Evolution The oldest widely accepted member of Anguimorpha is ''Dorsetisaurus'' from the Late Jurassic of Europe and North America. In 2022, the genus ''Cryptovaranoides'' was described from the latest Triassic (Rhaetian) of England. ''Cryptovaranoides'' was recovered in the study as a crown-group anguimorph, and therefore the oldest crown group-squamate, 35 million years older than any previously known crown-group squamate. However, a 2023 study found that ''Cryptovaranoides'' most likely represents an Archosauromorpha, archosauromorph that was only distantly related to squamates. Families Anguidae There are 9 genera found within the Anguidae family. They are characteriz ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Estesia
''Estesia'' (in honour of Richard Estes) is an extinct genus of Late Cretaceous anguimorph lizard found in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. Discovery It was discovered in June 1990 by a joint expedition made up of Mongolian and American palaeontologists, and described in 1992 by Mark Norell, Malcolm McKenna and Michael Novacek. This animal is of interest to palaeontologists, not only because it is close to the lineage of modern Gila monsters (''Heloderma''), but also because its dentition shows evidence that it was venomous. The type species is ''E. mongoliensis'', after Mongolia, where it was found. Material for ''Estesia'' has been collected in various localities in the Gobi Desert, including the Barun Goyot Formation, the Djadochta Formation and Ukhaa Tolgod. *IGM M3/14 (holotype): A well-preserved skull with mandible, from Lizard Hill, Khulsan (Barun Goyot Formation) *IGM 3/15: Partial skeleton with associated braincase, from Khermeen Tsav (Barun Goyot Formation), disc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paraderma
''Paraderma'' is an extinct genus of lizard. it is primarily known from the late Cretaceous Lance Formation. ''Paraderma'' is taxonomically disputed. When it was discovered in 1964, it was assigned to Parasaniwidae, but was reassigned to Helodermatidae in 1983. The most recent study has placed it solidly into Monstersauria Monstersauria is a clade of Anguimorpha, anguimorph lizards, defined as all taxa more closely related to ''Heloderma'' than ''Varanus''. It includes ''Heloderma'', as well as several extinct genera, such as ''Estesia'', ''Primaderma'' and ''Gobid .... References Reptiles described in 1964 Helodermatidae Prehistoric lizard genera {{Paleo-lizard-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Varanidae
The Varanidae are a family of lizards in the superfamily Varanoidea and order Anguimorpha. The family, a group of carnivorous and frugivorous lizards, includes the living genus '' Varanus'' and a number of extinct genera more closely related to ''Varanus'' than to the earless monitor lizard (''Lanthanotus''). ''Varanus'' includes the Komodo dragon (the largest living lizard), crocodile monitor, savannah monitor, the goannas of Australia and Southeast Asia, and various other species with a similarly distinctive appearance. Their closest living relatives are the earless monitor lizard and Chinese crocodile lizard. The oldest members of the family are known from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Taxonomy The Varanidae were defined (using morphological characteristics) by Estes, de Queiroz and Gauthier (1988) as the clade containing the most recent common ancestor of '' Lanthanotus'' and ''Varanus'' and all of its descendants. A similar definition was formulated by Conrad ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anguidae
Anguidae refers to a large and diverse family of lizards native to the Northern Hemisphere. It contains 9 genera and 89 extant species. Common characteristics of this group include a reduced supratemporal arch, striations on the medial faces of tooth crowns, osteoderms, and a lateral fold in the skin of most taxa. The group is divided into two living subfamilies, the legless Anguinae, which contains slow worms and glass lizards, among others, found across the Northern Hemisphere, and Gerrhonotinae, which contains the alligator lizards, native to North and Central America. The family Diploglossidae (which contains the galliwasps) was also formerly included. Morphology and reproduction Anguids have hard osteoderms beneath their scales giving them an armored appearance. Members of the subfamily Anguinae have reduced or absent limbs, giving them a snake-like appearance, while members of Gerrohonotinae are fully limbed. Body type varies among species, with sizes ranging from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Varanoidea
Varanoidea is a superfamily of lizards, including the well-known family Varanidae (the monitors and goannas). Also included in the Varanoidea are the Lanthanotidae ( earless monitor lizards), and the extinct Palaeovaranidae. Throughout their long evolutionary history, varanoids have exhibited great diversity, both in habitat and form. This superfamily includes the largest-known terrestrial lizard, Megalania (~5 meters), and the largest extant lizard, the Komodo dragon (''Varanus komodoensis'', ~3 meters). Evolution Either synonymous with, or a subgroup of, the group Platynota, the varanoids first appear in the fossil record in the latter part of Early Cretaceous, but possible varanoid ancestors have been traced back as far as Early Jurassic times. Among the earliest known varanoids are the monitor-like necrosaurids '' Palaeosaniwa canadensis'' from the Campanian (roughly 71–82 mya) of North America and '' Estesia mongoliensis'' and '' Telmasaurus grangeri'', both from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Huehuecuetzpalli
''Huehuecuetzpalli'' (translating to "the ancient lizard" in Nahuatl) is an extinct genus of lizard from the Early Cretaceous (late Albian) Tlayúa Formation, a Lagerstätte near Tepexi de Rodríguez, Central Mexico. One species, ''H. mixectus'', is known. Although it is not the oldest known lizard, ''Huehuecuetzpalli'' may be amongst the most basal members of Squamata (the group that includes lizards and snakes), and has been variously considered a close relative of '' Bavarisaurus'', '' Bellairsia, Marmoretta'' and '' Oculudentavis'', or as the most basal iguanomorphan. Its basal position makes it an important taxon in understanding the origins of squamates. ''Huehuecuetzpalli'' had peg-like teeth of even size, suggesting that it hunted small prey like insects. Its limb proportions are similar to those of modern lizards that practise bipedal locomotion, with hind limbs far smaller than the forelimbs. This suggests that it may, at least on occasion, have walked bipedally. ... [...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] |
