A long-forgotten, old collection of lizards from the Phosphorites du Quercy in southern France, housed Naturhistorisches Museum Vienna (NHMW), is described detail this paper. The material, consisting several almost complete cranial and postcranial disarticulated elements, originates different, imprecisely known localities. Nevertheless, completeness exceptional preservation many these specimens permitted identification new taxa, as well recognition better understanding novel anatomical...

A revision of the Early-Middle Miocene anguine, Pseudopus laurillardi (Lartet, 1851), is presented based on a detailed anatomical analysis one newly discovered articulated specimen and numerous disarticulated cranial postcranial elements from several localities in Germany, as well restudy original skeletal material Lartet. represents first record an anguine Neogene. We demonstrate that contemporaneous Propseudopus fraasii (= fraasi, moguntinus or Ophisaurus ) Germany elsewhere Europe junior...

ABSTRACT The morphology of the lower jaw and teeth legless lizard Pseudopus apodus (Anguimorpha, Anguidae, Anguinae) from Eurasia are described in detail compared with those other species subfamily Anguinae. anatomy , especially dentary teeth, clearly differs genera Ophisaurus Anguis . Even so, is largely uniform its across species. North American slender cylinders, shafts mesiodistally compressed bulge lingually; apices curved lingually posteriorly have weakly developed cutting edges....

The endemic Canary Island lizard clade Gallotia, which includes the largest members of Europe's dominant reptile group, Lacertidae, is one classic examples insular gigantism. For first time we use fossil data to test evolutionary reasons for association between gigantism and herbivory. We describe an almost completely preserved skeleton Janosikia ulmensis comb. nov. from early Miocene Ulm, Germany (MN 2a, ~ 22 Mya). show that this species Oligocene Pseudeumeces cadurcensis (Filhol, 1877) are...

AbstractSquamate faunas from the MN 1–3 interval (earliest Miocene) are poorly known in Europe and worldwide. Our research brings first report on a complete squamate fauna 2 zone Europe. It comprises relatively large number of specimens Wiesbaden-Amöneburg western Germany. is part time (MP 29–MN 2) covering latest Oligocene–earliest Miocene, which has been labelled 'Dark Period' as far snakes concerned. Unexpectedly, high diversity squamates was discovered at Amöneburg. This fills an...

ABSTRACT The article reports on the first detailed vertebral and rib morphology of anguine taxon Pseudopus apodus using micro‐computed tomography. A comparison shows significant morphological differences vertebrae relative to those Anguis Ophisaurus. Usually, there are 55 presacral vertebrae, two sacral, 95–97 caudal vertebrae. can be defined by 23 diagnostic features concerning column. Although zygapophyseal articulation between atlas axis is well developed in limbed anguid gerrhonotine...

ABSTRACT Pseudopus apodus (Pallas, 1775) is the largest extant legless species of subfamily Anguinae (Anguimorpha, Anguidae) living mostly in sub‐arid territories ranging from Balkan area Europe to Kazakhstan Asia. The other two genera live North America, South‐East Asia and Africa ( Ophisaurus ) South‐West Anguis ). interrelationships are unresolved; this part consequence insufficient knowledge cranial, postcranial integumentary anatomy individual anguine species. aim article fulfill gap...

The anguine species Ophisaurus acuminatus Jörg, 1965 is known on the basis of only one specimen consisting skull bones and osteoderms from late Miocene (MN 9) Höwenegg/Hegau locality in Germany. Since its first description, several other new OphisaurusDaudin, 1803 have been described various localities Europe. diagnoses these are based mostly characters parietal partially frontal bones. Although most cranial elements O. well preserved, absent. knowledge detailed anatomy this crucial for...

The amniotes generally lay eggs on land and are thereby differentiated from lissamphibians (salamanders, frogs caecilians) by their developmental pattern. Although a number of 330–300-Myr old fossils regarded as early tetrapods placed close to the basis anatomical data, we still do not know whether pattern was more similar those or amniotes. Here report palaeohistological skeletochronological evidence supporting salamander-like development in seymouriamorph Discosauriscus . Its long-bone...

The Hampshire Basin in southern England is the only sequence virtually spanning Eocene-Oligocene boundary western Europe. It has provided an opportunity to observe changes populations across Grande Coupure event, as overturn squamate assemblage of continental Europe also been noted. Five Tertiary formations have yielded lizard material: Creechbarrow Limestone, Barton Clay, Headon Hill, Bembridge Limestone and Bouldnor Formation. These span period from late Middle Eocene earliest Oligocene....

ABSTRACTWe review the cranial morphology of Late Carboniferous terrestrial tetrapod Gephyrostegus bohemicus from coal deposits Nýřany Basin in Czech Republic. is known several skulls ranging length about 25 mm to 58 (holotype). The narrow skull twice as long wide and shows a well-ossified quadrate articular, but no evidence braincase ossification. Autapomorphic features include pustular ornamentation on some table bones, plate-like tabular process exhibiting fine dorsal pitting. shares with...

Abstract Four species of Ophisaurus , O . fejfari O. spinari robustus and holeci are recognized on the basis parietals from Early Miocene Czech Republic Germany. The fifth species, acuminatus is described Late Germany, but its parietal not preserved. This paper describes new specimens Middle Germany first records these outside Republic. provides a significant contribution to understanding both interspecific intraspecific variability in Cenozoic Europe. A well-preserved Anguis rarus sp. nov....

A detailed description is given of the cranial anatomy Lower Permian tetrapod Discosauriscus . This material three–dimensionally preserved and represents one best know seymouriamorph tetrapods. Two species, D. austriacus pulcherrimus , are distinguished in from Boskovice Furrow. abundant, rare. The two species differ following features: (1) shape postorbital jugal nature their junction; (2) prefrontal postfrontal position contact; (3) morphology ventral surfaces fo palatal bones arrangement...

ABSTRACT Three species of the genus Pseudopus are recognized in Cenozoic Eurasia: P. laurillardi (early–middle Miocene Europe), pannonicus (late Miocene–middle Pleistocene Central and Eastern apodus Pleistocene–Recent, from Europe to Asia). Here, a new oldest Pseudopus, ahnikoviensis, sp. nov., is described early (MN 3) locality Merkur Northwest Bohemia Czech Republic. The distinguished other three by five possible autapomorphies: length sulcus between frontal frontoparietal shields equals...

Skeletal remains of a new early Miocene (Ottnangian, MN 4 mammal zone) monitor lizard, Varanus mokrensis sp. nov., are described from two karst fissures in the Mokrá-Western Quarry (1/2001 Turtle Joint; 2/2003 Reptile Joint), Czech Republic, providing first documented example European varanid for which osteological data permit well-supported assignment to genus Varanus. The species is morphologically similar Recent Indo-Asiatic varanids bengalensis group. It differs all other on basis single...

Abstract The braincase and inner ear of the largest species legless anguine lizards, Pseudopus apodus , are described in detail based on high‐resolution x‐ray microcomputed tomography. Here, ontogeny its is briefly described. detailed anatomy individual bones P. presented compared with those modern Anguis fragilis Ophisaurus Dopasia Hyalosaurus . Because only extant Anguinae studied discussed here, generic names taxa defined genetically—O phisaurus (North America), (Southeast Asia),...

Abstract The description of the postcranial skeleton larval, metamorphic and early juvenile specimens genus Discosauriscus is based on three-dimensional material includes a ontogeny swollen neural arches central elements vertebrae. has 24 (or 23) presacral morphology atlas–axis complex similar to that in Seymouria sanjuanensis . start swell slightly late larval stage; they are completely immediately after metamorphosis. There about 40 caudal vertebrae one sacral vertebra. atlantal...

ABSTRACT Choristoderan material from a microvertebrate horizon in the Czech Republic extends history of group into early-middle Miocene. On cranial and vertebral morphology, new most closely resembles Lazarussuchus inexpectatus Upper Oligocene France. The morphological similarity supports attribution to genus Lazarussuchus, but combination smaller more rounded upper temporal fenestra absence accessory articular facets on vertebrae distinguish form type species. articulated skull L....

Abstract The origin of amniotes was a key event in vertebrate evolution, enabling tetrapods to break their ties with water and invade terrestrial environments. Two pivotal clades early tetrapods, the diadectomorphs seymouriamorphs, have played an unsurpassed role debates about ancestry for over century, but skeletal morphology has provided conflicting evidence affinities. Using high‐resolution X‐ray microcomputed tomography, we reveal three‐dimensional architecture well preserved endosseous...

Similarly sized skulls of juvenile specimens the seymouriid and discosauriscid seymouriamorph tetrapods Seymouria Discosauriscus are compared for first time. Comparisons based on a single skull sanjuanensis from Lower Permian Bromacker locality, Germany, measuring 56 mm in length several austriacus Boskovice Furrow, Czech Republic, reaching maximum 62 mm. Establishment their stage development as is small size S. to adults same species previous comparisons various-sized D. complete...

Skulls of two specimens the Lower Permian seymouriamorph tetrapod Seymouria, referred to Seymouria sanjuanensis Vaughn, 1966, with midline skull lengths about 19.0 and 20.0 mm, respectively, probably representing an early juvenile ontogenetic stage, are described from Tambach Formation, lowermost formation Upper Rotliegend Group or Series, Bromacker quarry locality in midregion Thuringian Forest near Gotha, central Germany. They represent smallest known genus compared those larger,...

Abstract: The cranial remains of a new Lower Miocene anguimorph, Merkurosaurus ornatus gen. et sp. nov., are described from north‐west Bohemia (Czech Republic). animal is morphologically very similar to the Recent Shinisaurus crocodilurus , but it differs in several ways. distinctive features are: nasal process premaxilla long and slender with bilaterally constricted shaft broadened dorsal portion; portion divides into three processes which median one longest; ornamented surface parietal...