32 research outputs found
Figure 15 in A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations
No full textFigure 15. Precaudal vertebrae of Ichthyosaura (A, B) and Lissotriton (C, D), as an example of the intrageneric variation of the posterodorsal area of the neural arch. Notice that in A and C, the posterodorsal area is vertical and followed by the forked neural crest, whereas in B and D the posterodorsal area is roof-shaped, and the neural crest terminates in the middle of the incisura dorsalis. In contrast, the medial edges of the prezygapophyses (dashed lines in A, C) are a less variable character (divergent in the case of Ichthyosaura and parallel in Lissotriton; see diagnoses section). Scale bars: 1 mm.Published as part of Macaluso, Loredana, Wencker, Lukardis C M, Castrovilli, Maria, Carnevale, Giorgio & Delfino, Massimo, 2023, A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations, pp. 569-619 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 197 (3) on page 615, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac063, http://zenodo.org/record/769095
Figure 8 in A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations
No full textFigure 8. Atlantes of European urodeles. A, Lissotriton vulgaris (MDHC 135). B, Lissotriton vulgaris (MDHC 133). C, Ommatotriton vittatus (MNCN 13193), with right postzygapophyses missing. D, Pleurodeles waltl (MDHC 253). E, Triturus carnifex (MDHC 38). From left to right: anterior, dorsal, lateral (right lateral for A, D; left lateral for B–C, E), posterior and ventral views. Scale bars: 1 mm.Published as part of Macaluso, Loredana, Wencker, Lukardis C M, Castrovilli, Maria, Carnevale, Giorgio & Delfino, Massimo, 2023, A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations, pp. 569-619 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 197 (3) on page 579, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac063, http://zenodo.org/record/769095
A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations
No full textFigure 5. Otic–occipitum complexes of European Pleurodelinae. A, left complex of Calotriton asper (MNCN 16122). B, right complex of Euproctus montanus (BSPGM 4202). C, left complex of Ichthyosaura alpestris (MDHC 416). D, right complex of Lissotriton vulgaris (MDHC 133). E, left complex of Ommatotriton vittatus (MNCN 13193). F, right complex of Pleurodeles waltl (MDHC 253). G, right complex of Triturus carnifex (MDHC 38). H, left complex of Triturus carnifex (MDHC 299). From left to right: anterior, dorsal, lateral, posterior and ventral views. Scale bars: 1 mm.Published as part of Macaluso, Loredana, Wencker, Lukardis C M, Castrovilli, Maria, Carnevale, Giorgio & Delfino, Massimo, 2023, A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations, pp. 569-619 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 197 (3) on page 576, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac063, http://zenodo.org/record/769095
Lyciasalamandra Veith & Steinfartz 2004
No full textLYCIASALAMANDRA VEITH & STEINFARTZ, 2004 Species: Lyciasalamandra luschani (Steindachner, 1891) and Lyciasalamandra helverseni (Pieper, 1963). No specimen of this genus was available for study, but a few observations can be made based on the work of Özeti (1967), who compared Mertensiella luschani (now Lyciasalamandra luschani) with M. caucasica and Sa. salamandra. According to Özeti (1967), the otic–occipitum complex of Lyciasalamandra more closely resembles that of M. caucasica than that of Sa. salamandra, in having the prominentiae semicircularis anterioris and posterioris more visible on the dorsal surface than in the last species. Also, Özeti (1967) stated that ‘the anterior part of the otic capsule appears strongly displaced laterally in Sa. salamandra ’, but not in the other species, and described the fenestra ovalis as more ventral in Ly. luschani than in Salamandra. The atlas is described as short and posteriorly widened, with an aliform projection (herein inferior crests) on each side of the centrum. The general shape of this vertebra is similar to that of M. caucasica. The general shape of the vertebrae of Ly. luschani seems to appear similar to those of Sa. salamandra and M. caucasica, but slightly wider and with a lower neural crest in Ly. luschani. The vertebrae of M. caucasica are described by Özeti (1967) as more slender and with smaller processes than in the other two species.Published as part of Macaluso, Loredana, Wencker, Lukardis C M, Castrovilli, Maria, Carnevale, Giorgio & Delfino, Massimo, 2023, A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations, pp. 569-619 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 197 (3) on page 595, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac063, http://zenodo.org/record/769095
Difficulties in using continuous characters in specimen-level osteological phylogenetic analyses of lacertid lizards
No full textValidation of specimen-level phylogenetics in extinct and extant lacertid lizards (Squamata, Lacertoidea) based on osteology
No full textProteus LAURENTI 1768
No full textPROTEUS LAURENTI, 1768 Species: Proteus anguinus * Laurenti, 1768. Otic–occipitum complex In proteids, the prootic, opisthotic and exoccipital remain unfused in the adult; therefore, there is no otic–occipitum complex. Atlas (Fig. 6B) The neural canal is triangular in anterior view and is at least twice as high as each occipital joint.In posterior view, the neural canal is slightly wider than the circular cotyle. The occipital joints are elliptical, with the major axis being horizontal (or sub-horizontal), and exhibit strong dorsoventral compression in anterior view. They are confluent in the middle, with the flat and narrow odontoid process dorsal to them. The odontoid process is narrow and formed by a single, flat articular surface. The neural crest is low and hourglass-shaped in dorsal view. The secondary crests are absent. The neural spine is absent, and the posterodorsal area of the neural arch in dorsal view is forked and extends beyond the postzygapophyses. The lateral surface of the atlas bears only the foramen of the first spinal nerve. The incisura vertebralis cranialis is absent or high and narrow. In lateral view, the dorsal edge of the neural arch is sub-horizontal. The neural arch between the incisura caudalis and the cotyle is concave, inclined or sub-vertical. The maximum concavity of the incisura vertebralis caudalis is dorsal to the horizontal plane containing the maximum concavity of the incisura cranialis. The lateral crests extend more dorsally to the postzygapophyses without contacting them. The inferior crests are low or absent. In posterior view, the neural arch is dorsally convex (inverted V-shaped). The postzygapophyses are entirely more posteriorly extended than the cotyle in lateral view. In dorsal view, the neural arch dispalys an anteriorly V-shaped concavity and is forked posteriorly. The cotyle is not visible in dorsal view. The ventral surface is usually smooth. Precaudal vertebrae (Fig. 9B) The precaudal vertebrae are amphicoelous. The neural canal is elliptical and slightly lower than the cotyle. The cotyles are circular or slightly elliptical, with the major axis being horizontal. In lateral view, the anterior edge of the neural arch between the anterior cotyle and the prezygapophyses is concave or vertical. The transverse processes are laminar, rectangular or triangular (proximally enlarging) in anterior view. They are orientated slightly posteriorly, and in lateral view they cover the posterior edge of the neural arch between the centrum and postzygapophyses entirely or in part. The diapophysis is cylindrical and proximally hollow, whereas the parapophysis is smaller and not hollow. In lateral view, most of the height of the vertebrae is formed by the centrum and the neural canal (only one-fifth of the height of the vertebra is formed by the neural arch dorsal to the postzygapophyses). In lateral view, the neural arch dorsal to the prezygapophyses is variably visible. The blade-like neural crest is absent or low, starting posterior to the anterior edge of the neural arch, and it broadens posteriorly in some cases. The neural spine is absent. The posterodorsal area of the neural arch in dorsal view is forked and projects posteriorly further than the postzygapophyses. The anterior and posterior zygapophyseal crests are absent. The ventral lamina is wide, triangular or trapezoidal in outline. The anterior ventral crests are anteriorly convex, whereas the posterior crests are posteriorly concave. The lateral surface of the vertebrae is smooth. The only foramen present is visible in anterior and lateral view, in the ventral half of the proximal edge of the transverse processes (at the base of parapophyses). The incisura vertebralis caudalis is not deep and is present only as a small posterior concavity (wider in the first precaudal vertebrae). The anterior edge of the neural arch between the centrum and postzygapophyses is slightly concave or convex. In posterior view, the neural arch is dorsally forked, with a deep incisura dorsalis. Half of the postzygapophyses extends posteriorly beyond the cotyle in lateral view. In dorsal view, the neural arch is anteriorly concave (U-shaped), and the incisura dorsalis is visible posteriorly in the forked neural arch. The edge of the anterior cotyle is visible in dorsal view, whereas the posterior cotyle is not visible. In lateral view, the ventral profile of the centrum is horizontal. The ventral surface bears two foramina and a subcentral keel. Caudal vertebrae (Fig. 12B) The caudal vertebrae are longer than high (height/length ratio <1). The neural canal is pentagonal or circular, whereas the haemal canal is triangular or circular. The neural canal is wider and lower than the haemal canal. The transverse processes are absent or transformed into horizontal laminae. The neural crest is absent or low. Zygapophyseal and ventral crests are absent. The lateral surface is smooth or with a single foramen visible at the base of the haemal arch. In lateral view, the anterior edge of the haemal arch is convex or anteriorly inclined, whereas the posteroventral edge of the haemal arch forms a sharp tip in lateral view. The haemal crest is either low or absent. The posterodorsal ends of the neural arches and posteroventral ends of the haemal arches are forked. The width between the prezygapophyses is greater than that between the postzygapophyses in the first caudal vertebrae; pre- and postzygapophyses are absent in the caudal vertebrae from the posterior half of the tail.Published as part of Macaluso, Loredana, Wencker, Lukardis C M, Castrovilli, Maria, Carnevale, Giorgio & Delfino, Massimo, 2023, A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations, pp. 569-619 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 197 (3) on pages 586-587, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac063, http://zenodo.org/record/769095
Chioglossa Bocage 1864
No full text<i>CHIOGLOSSA</i> BOCAGE, 1864 <i>Species: Chioglossa lusitanica</i> *. <i>Otic–occipitum complex (Fig. 4C)</i> <p> The otic–occipitum complexes of the only specimen of <i>Ch. lusitanica</i> available for this study (MNCN 16099) are poorly preserved and poorly ossified, especially the left one. The crests are not visible, and some of the characters are difficult to interpret owing to the inadequate preservation. The prominentia semicircularis anterioris, posterioris and lateralis are evident and rounded. Among them, a deep middle depression shows a fourth, unnamed prominentia separated from the prominentia semicircularis lateralis by a deep groove. The prominentia semicircularis posterioris is extended posteriorly and ventrally between the cotyle and the parotic process. The elliptical fenestra ovalis is oriented posterolaterally, such that it is visible in posterior view; its anterior edge is anterior to the mid-length of the complex. The dorsal edge of the fenestra is not visible in dorsal view, because it is covered by the prominentia lateralis. In dorsal view, the parietal crest is poorly visible, but it seems to be present; its posterior part is severely damaged, and it is not possible to determine where its posterior margin lies, whereas anteriorly it reaches the anteriormost point of the prominentia semicircularis anterioris. The parotic crest is short and does not form a lateral parotic process. The tectum synoticum and the prefacial commissure seem not to be extended medially, and there is no concavity between them. These commissures are less medially extended than the hypochordal commissure. However, owing to the poor preservation, it is not possible to determine whether this structure is broken or poorly ossified; therefore, these character states are regarded as uncertain. The postoticum foramen is circular and surrounded posteriorly by the lamina of the tectum synoticum and the cotyle. In lateral view, a lamina posterior to the fenestra ovalis is present, connecting the postoticum foramen with the posterior end of the prominentia semicircularis lateralis. More anteriorly, the foramen faciale is visible. The subcircular articular surfaces of the otic process and the bean-shaped surface of the processus basalis are not separated by a deep sulcus petrosus. The otic process is not anteriorly projecting. The basicapsular commissure is medially extended beyond the prefacial commissure, and the foramen prooticum is not surrounded by bone. The auditory cavity is deep, with isolated foramina for the different branches of the acoustic nerve. In ventral view, a low medial crest runs along the medial side of the ventral surface. In the right complex, there is an anomalous ossification affecting the ventromedial surface, but in the left complex, the crista retrosellaris between the basicapsular and hypochordal commissures occupies part of the fenestra basicranialis, leaving a concavity close to the hypochordal commissure. The ventral surface is generally smooth, with one or two foramina in addition to the foramen faciale, and the sulcus carotis extends medially beyond the medial crest.</p> <i>Atlas (Fig. 6E)</i> <p>The only available atlas is badly damaged, with the postzygapophyses and the neural and secondary crests poorly visible; some of the characters are therefore uncertain. The neural canal is circular in anterior view and twice as high as each occipital joint. In posterior view, the neural canal is two or three times as wide as the elliptical cotyle. The occipital joints are elliptical, with the minor axis being horizontal. The articular facets of the odontoid process are separated by a large groove on the ventral surface. In ventral view, the base of the odontoid process is wider than each occipital joint. The neural crest is low or absent. The posterodorsal area of the neural arch is poorly preserved, hence the presence of the neural spine cannot be assessed. The lateral surface of the atlas bears two or more foramina per side. The incisura vertebralis cranialis is small. In lateral view, the dorsal edge of the neural arch is sub-horizontal. The neural arch between the wide incisura caudalis and the cotyle is convex or inclined. The maximum concavity of the incisura vertebralis caudalis is dorsal to the horizontal plane containing the maximum concavity of the incisura cranialis. The lateral and inferior crests are absent or low. In dorsal view, the neural arch is anteriorly straight. The ventral surface bears small foramina.</p> <i>Precaudal vertebrae (Fig. 9F)</i> <p>The vertebrae are opisthocoelous, longer than wide, and dorsoventrally flattened, meaning that in lateral view, only one-fifth of the height of the vertebrae is formed by the neural arch dorsal to the prezygapophyses. The neural canal is elliptical, with the major axis being horizontal. Diapophyses and parapophyses are connected by a lamina reaching their distal ends. The lamina is distally linear or only slightly concave. The neural crest is low, posteriorly enlarged, and starts anteriorly from the line connecting the posterior edge of the prezygapophyses or posterior to it. The neural spine is absent. The lateral surface of the vertebra shows more than one foramen. In anterior view, a foramen is visible in the ventral half of the proximal edge of the transverse processes (at the base of the parapophyses). The anterior zygapophyseal crests are low or absent; the posterior ones are absent or present but do not contact the transverse processes. In lateral view, the anterior edge of the neural arch dorsal to the prezygapophyses is generally not visible, and it is vertical between them and the condyle. The incisura vertebralis caudalis is deep and not covered by the transverse processes, and the neural arch between it and the cotyle is inclined. Less than half of the postzygapophyses extends posteriorly beyond the cotyle. In dorsal view, the incisura dorsalis is formed by the neural arch, and the dorsal edge of the neural arch is flat. In dorsal view, the anterior edge of the neural arch is concave, and the condyle is visible, whereas the cotyle is not visible. Pre- and postzygapophyses are elliptical, and the prezygapophyses are strongly concave dorsally. The ventral lamina is not wide and is, in general, irregular in shape (triangular, trapezoidal or asymmetrically rhomboidal). The posterior ventral crests do not reach the cotyle. The ventral surface is generally perforated.</p> <i>Caudal vertebrae</i> <p>In the only available specimen, the caudal vertebrae are missing.</p>Published as part of <i>Macaluso, Loredana, Wencker, Lukardis C M, Castrovilli, Maria, Carnevale, Giorgio & Delfino, Massimo, 2023, A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations, pp. 569-619 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 197 (3)</i> on pages 590-591, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac063, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7690954">http://zenodo.org/record/7690954</a>
Salamandrella DYBOWKI 1870
No full text<i>SALAMANDRELLA</i> DYBOWKI, 1870 <p> <i>Species:</i> <i>Salamandrella keyserlingii</i> * Dybowski, 1870.</p> <i>Otic–occipitum complex</i> <p> In hynobiids, the prootic and opisthotic–exoccipital remain unfused in morphologically mature specimens; therefore, there is no otic–occipitum complex (Jia <i>et al.</i>, 2019).</p> <i>Atlas (Fig. 6A)</i> <p>The neural canal is triangular in anterior view and is at least twice as high as each occipital joint. In posterior view, the neural canal is two or three times as wide as the circular cotyle. The occipital joints are elliptical, with the major axis horizontal (or subhorizontal). The articular surfaces of the odontoid process contact each other, such that in ventral view no groove is visible between them. In ventral view, the base of the odontoid process is wider than each occipital joint. The neural crest is absent. Based on the literature, in the completely ossified atlantes, a bulge should be present in its place (Ratnikov & Litvinchuk, 2009); however, in all specimens examined in this work, the walls of the neural arch do not contact each other at the dorsal midline, and two articular surfaces are present in the middle. These are visible in dorsal view and articulated through cartilage. The secondary crests and the neural spine are absent. The lateral surface of the atlas bears only the foramen of the first spinal nerve. The incisura vertebralis cranialis is generally absent or small. In lateral view, the dorsal edge of the neural arch is sub-horizontal. The posterior margin of the lateral wall of the neural arch, ventral to the wide incisura caudalis in lateral view, is concave, inclined or sub-vertical. The maximum concavity of the incisura vertebralis caudalis is dorsal to the horizontal plane containing the maximum concavity of the incisura cranialis. The lateral crests are absent, and the inferior crests are low or also absent. In posterior view, the neural arch is dorsally convex (inverted U-shaped). In lateral view, the postzygapophyses extend posteriorly beyond the cotyle for more than half of their length, and in posterior view, these structures are sub-horizontal. In dorsal view, the neural arch is anteriorly and posteriorly concave (with V-shaped concavities). The cotyle is generally not visible in dorsal view, or only slightly visible in the middle of the incisura dorsalis. The ventral surface generally bears more than one foramen.</p> <i>Precaudal vertebrae (Fig. 9A)</i> <p>The precaudal vertebrae are amphicoelous. The neural canal is pentagonal or circular in anterior view, slightly higher or lower than the cotyle. The cotyles are circular or slightly elliptical, with the major axis horizontal. In lateral view, the anterior edge of the neural arch between the cotyle and prezygapophyses is concave or vertical. Diapophyses and parapophyses are usually fused and not recognizable (unicipital transverse processes). The transverse processes are rectangular in anterior view and slightly pointed posteroventrally. The transverse processes do not cover (or cover only in part) the posterior edge of the neural arch in lateral view. In lateral view, the vertebrae are dorsoventrally compressed, and most of the height of the vertebrae is formed by the centrum and the neural canal (only one-fifth of the height of the vertebra is formed by the neural arch dorsal to the postzygapophyses). In lateral view, the neural arch dorsal to the prezygapophyses is not visible or only slightly visible. The neural crest is absent. The neural spine is present in the form of a low and thick bulge that is posteriorly convex and extends posteriorly as far as the postzygapophyses. The anterior and posterior zygapophyseal and ventral crests are absent. The lateral surface of the vertebrae is smooth. The only foramen present is visible in anterior and lateral views, in the ventral half of the proximal edge of the transverse processes. In lateral view, the dorsal edge of the neural arch is anteriorly sub-horizontal. The incisura vertebralis caudalis is not deep and only present as a small posterior concavity (wider in the first precaudal vertebrae), and the neural arch between the centrum and postzygapophyses is slightly concave or convex. In posterior view, the neural arch is dorsally flat or convex (inverted U-shaped). In lateral view, the postzygapophyses extend posteriorly beyond the cotyle for more than half of their length, and in posterior view, postzygapophyses are sub-horizontal. In dorsal view, the neural arch is anteriorly concave (U-shaped), and posteriorly, the incisura dorsalis is not visible. The edge of the anterior cotyle is visible in dorsal view, whereas the posterior cotyle is not visible. In lateral view, the ventral profile of the centrum is strongly concave. The ventral surface is generally smooth.</p> <i>Caudal vertebrae (Fig. 12A)</i> <p>The caudal vertebrae are not particularly high (height/length ratio <1.25). The neural canal is pentagonal or circular, whereas the haemal canal is elliptical or U-shaped. The neural canal is wider and lower than the haemal canal, and the haemal arch is generally slender. The transverse processes are long and slender, sub-cylindrical and pointing ventrally. The neural crest is absent or low; a posterodorsal bulge is present. Zygapophyseal and ventral crests are absent. The lateral surface is smooth, with a single foramen visible at the base of the haemal arch. In lateral view, the anterior edge of the haemal arch is variably inclined, convex or concave, whereas the posteroventral edge of the haemal arch forms a sharp tip in lateral view. In ventral view, the posterior edge of the haemal arch is not forked. The haemal crest is either low or absent.</p>Published as part of <i>Macaluso, Loredana, Wencker, Lukardis C M, Castrovilli, Maria, Carnevale, Giorgio & Delfino, Massimo, 2023, A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations, pp. 569-619 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 197 (3)</i> on pages 578-586, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac063, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/7690954">http://zenodo.org/record/7690954</a>
