Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series Volume 11 | Number 1 Article 1 6-1970 Osteological and mylogical comparisons of the head and thorax regions of Cnemidophorus tigris septentrionalis Burger and Ameiva undulata parva Barbour and Nobel (Family Teiidae) Don Lowell Fisher Wilmer W. Tanner Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib Part of the Anatomy Commons, Botany Commons, Physiology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Fisher, Don Lowell and Tanner, Wilmer W. (1970) "Osteological and mylogical comparisons of the head and thorax regions of Cnemidophorus tigris septentrionalis Burger and Ameiva undulata parva Barbour and Nobel (Family Teiidae)," Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series: Vol. 11 : No. 1 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib/vol11/iss1/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. ->, MUS. COMP. ZOOL- 5.C0f^--yt,rov;oT LIB,RARY ^ AUG 1 8 1970 HARVARD UISUVERSITYi Brigham Young UniversWy Science Bulletin OSTEOLOGICAL AND MYLOGICAL COMPARISONS OF THE HEAD AND THORAX REGIONS OF CNEM/DOPHORUS TIGRIS SEPTENTRIONALIS BURGER AND AMEIVA UNDULATA PARVA BARBOUR AND NOBLE (FAMILY TEIIDAE) by '^ Don Lowell Fisher and Wilmer W. Tanner ^ BIOLOGICAL SERIES — VOLUME XI, NUMBER 1 JUNE 1970 BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN BIOLOGICAL SERIES Editor: Stanley L. Welsh, Department of Botany, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah Members of the Editorial Board: Stanley L. Welsh, Chairman of the Board Tipton, Veknon J. Zoology Febbon L. Anderson, Zoology Beck, Microbiology J. V. Joseph R. Muedock, Botany Wilmer W. Tanner, Zoology Ex officio Members: A. LesterLes' Allen, Dean, College of Biological and Agricultural SciencesSci Ernest L. Olson, Chairman, University Pubhcations The Brigham Yoimg University Science Bulletin, Biological Series, publishes acceptable papers, particularly large manuscripts, on all phases of biology. Separate numbers and back volumes can be purchased from University Press, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. All remittances should be made payable to Brigham Young University. Orders and materials for library exchange should be directed to the Division of Gifts and Exchange, Brigham Young University Library, Provo, Utah 84601. Brigham Young University Science Bulletin OSTEOLOGICAL AND MYLOGICAL COMPARISONS OF THE HEAD AND THORAX REGIONS OF CNEMIDOPHORUS TIGRIS SEPTENTRIONALIS BURGER AND AMEIVA UNDULATA PARVA BARBOUR AND NOBLE (FAMILY TEIIDAE) by Don Lowell Fisher and Wilmer W. Tanner BIOLOGICAL SERIES — VOLUME XI, NUMBER 1 JUNE 1970 . TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 METHODS AND MATERIALS 2 OSTEOLOGY 3 General Description of the Si<ull 3 Description of Skull Elements 4 Lower Jaw '3 Foramina of the Skull and Lower Jaw 16 Teeth 17 Wrist 19 MYOLOGY 19 DISCUSSION 30 CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY 37 LITERATURE CITED 39 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1 Ameiva undulata pan'a. Dorsal view of skull (6.2X) 5 2. Ameiva undulata pan'a. Ventral view of skull (6.2X) 6 3. Ameiva undulata panm. Lateral view of skull. (6.2X) 7 4. Cnemidohponis tigris septentrionalis. Dorsal view of skull. (8.4X) 8 5. Cnemidophoms tigris septentrionalis. Ventral view of skull. (8.4X) 9 6. Cnemidophoms tigris septentrionalis. Lateral view of skull. (8.4X) 10 7. Ameiva undulata parva. Lower Jaw. A. Lateral view. B. Medial view. C. Dorsal view. (4.9X) teeth diagramatic, see Fig. 9 14 8. Cnemidophoms tigris septentrionalis. Lower Jaw. A. Lateral view. B. Medial view. C. Dorsal view. (7.5X) teeth diagramatic, see Fig. 9 15 9. Ameiva undulata pan'a. Teeth. A. Maxillary teeth. (7 .OX). B. Dentary teeth. (5.8X). Cnemidophoms tigris septentrionalis C. Maxillary teeth. (II.OX). D. Dentary teeth. (9.7X). E. Pterygoid teeth. (20X) 18 10. Ameiva undulata pan'a. Musculature dorsal view. A. Superficial depth. B. First depth. (2.9X) 20 11. Ameiva undulata pan'a. Musculature dorsal view. A. Second depth. B. Third depth. (2.9X) 21 12. Ameiva undulata pan'a. Musculature dorsal view. A. Fourth Depth. B. Fifth depth. (2.9X) 22 13. Ameiva undulata parva. Musculature ventral view. A. Superficial depth. B. First depth. (2.9X) 23 14. Ameiva undulata parva. Musculature ventral view. A. Second depth. B. Third depth. (2.9 X) 24 15. Ameiva undulata pan'a. Musculature ventral view. A. Fourth depth. B. Fifth depth. (2.9X) 25 16. Ameiva undulata parva. Musculature lateral view. First depth. (2.9X) 26 17. Ameiva undulata parva. Musculature lateral view. Second depth. (2.9X) 27 18. Ameiva undulata pan'a. Musculature lateral view. Third depth. (2.9X) 28 19. Ameiva undulata parva. Musculature latural view. Fourth depth. (2.9X) 29 20. Ameiva undulata pan'a. Musculature lateral view. Fifth depth. (2.9X) 30 , INTRODUCTION There has long been a need for a comparative on the Pacific slopes from the Isthmus of Tehaun- study of the osteological and myological structures of tepec in Oaxaca south to Costa Rica. the reptilian family Teiidae. This present study is Cnemidophonis tigris septentrionalis was estab- organized to increase our understanding of the ana- lished by Burger in 1950. The type is CNHM 38217 tomical features of the head and thorax regions of and the type locality is Una, Garfield County, Colo- two large genera of this large and diversified family. rado. The range extends over the Colorado Plateau The two genera discussed are Cnemidophonis and (Maslin, 1959b) and includes the northern half of A meiva. Arizona, the northwestern quarter of New Mexico, Although the entire family is in need of a compar- the southeastern half of Utah, and the southwestern ative study, these two genera were chosen because quarter of Colorado (Burger, 1950). they are, according to Burt (1931b), closely allied A synopsis of the genus Cnemidophonis was first and also because a number of study specimens were completed by E.D. Cope (1892b) wherein he made a available. The study is limited to the head and thora.x most memorable statement to all individuals who regions inasmuch as this area, according to Patten further attempt to resolve the phylogenetic relation- (1951), seems to be the most plastic region of the ships within this genus. He considered the discrimina- body as far as adaptive radiation is concerned. We are tion of the species within Cnemidophonis the most aware that other regions of the vertebrate body are difficult problem in herpetology. also plastic in some groups; however, we believe that A later work by Burt (1931b) using Ecology, in this family the thorax region is of special signifi- scutellation, and distribution has helped in unrav- cance to the study of the phylogenetic development elling some of the problems of the phylogenetic of genera within this family. relationships within the genus Cnemidophonis. Other Studies dealing with taxonomy, physiology, ecol- large and comprehensive works on groups within the ogy and general anatomy of the two genera have been genus Cnemidophonis also have been recently com- made by various workers. Those reports which are pleted. These include a report by Zweifel (1959) on pertinent to this study are cited below. the distribution and variation of the sacki group, a An extensive taxonomic study of the genus systematic study of the deppei group (Duellman and Cnemidophonis was made by Burt (1931b) with com- Wellman, 1960), and a systematic study of the plete synonymy of the various species and subspecies sexlineatus group (Duellman and Zweifel, 1962). to that date. A revision of the g^nus Ameiva was com- These works all analyze such characters as scutella- pleted by Barbour and Noble (1915). Smith and tion, coloration, dorsal patterns, size, and distri- Laufe (1946) in their summary of the Mexican lizards bution. of the genus A meiva dealt with the taxonomy of the The systematic relationships of the gtnns Ameiva genus. It will not be necessary, therefore, to give a have also been explored by Barbour and Noble detailed account in this report of the taxonomy (1915), who published an extensive work on the which has been completed to date. We can thus phylogeny and provided a description of the species confine ourselves more to the comparative anatomical and subspecies included in the genus. The relation- aspects of the two genera. ships of the Ameiva undiilata group were suggested The family Teiidae was established by Gray by Stuart (1942). In this study he includes a diagnosis (1825), and today consists of about 40 genera (Smith of each species as well as a key to the species. and Taylor, 1950). The genus /l/?!e(Va was established A summary of the Mexican species of the genus by Meyer (1795) with Lacerta americana Seba = Ameiva was published by Smith and Laufe (1946). Ameiva ameiva (Linnaeus) being the genotype. Ac- Their report is informative, extensive, includes a his- cording to Smith and Taylor (1950), there are 13 torical summary and an analysis of characters by species and 28 subspecies in the genus. means of scutellation. A phylogeny, a key to the The genus Cnemidophonis was established by Mexican Ameiva, and an account of the subspecies is Wagler (1830). The genotype is Seps murimis also included. Laurenti. There are about 18 species of Cnemi- Some of the factors relating to behavior and evolu- dophorus with about 47 subspecies (Smith and tion have also been reported. A thorough study for its Taylor, 1950). Since 1950 only a few new species and time by Gadow (1906) on evolution was based on the subspecies have been described in each genus. Mexican species of Cnemidophonis. His report helps Ameiva undiilata parva was established by Barbour us to realize the great variety possible in a genus and Noble (1915).