The Phylogeny of the Anguidae based on their Head Musculature

Abstract

An extensive review of the history of anguid classification has been given by Meszoely (1970) and needs no further comments here. Meszoely (1970) was able to show that McDowell and Bogert (1954) placed too much emphasis on the presence of a lateral fold when classifying Ophisaurus with the gerrhonotines. Meszoely (1970) groups the extant Anguidae within three subfamilies, the Gerrhonotinae (Gerrhonotus, Abronia and Coloptychon), the Anguinae (Ophisaurus, Anguis and the fossil Pancelosaurus) and the Diploglossinae (Diploglossus, Wetmorena and Ophiodes). To these he adds a fourth subfamily, the Glyptosaurinae, to encompass the Eocene and Oligocene fossils such as Xestops, Peltosaurus, Melanosaurus, Arpadosaurus and Glyptosaurus, all probably derived from a Pancelosaurus-like ancestor. In contrast to McDowell and Bogert (1954: Anguinae including Anguis only which is considered to be a modified genus), Meszoely (1970: Anguinae including Anguis and Ophisaurus, Anguis interpreted as a degenerate genus) considers the Anguinae to be the most primitive anguid subfamily on the basis of the following evidence:

• a) extensive palatal dentition is retained in Ophisaurus (vomerine teeth present in 0. apodus).

• b) Pancelosaurus, the oldest known anguid from the Upper Cretaceous Lance Formation is referable to the Anguinae.