Ophisaurus, Daudin, 1803
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.4665621 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D08790-FFD3-FFFF-5652-A303FDF4501C |
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treatment provided by |
Felipe |
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scientific name |
Ophisaurus |
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Ophisaurus sp. ( Fig. 13A, B View FIG )
MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Ten vertebrae ( ISER Tt-0460/- 1-10), 14 osteoderms ( ISER Tt-0461/1-14).
DESCRIPTION
Vertebrae
The vertebrae belonged to individuals of various sizes. The ventral surface of the centrum is slightly convex while the subcentral margins are slightly concave. Shallow anteroposterior grooves pass on the subcentral foramina, delimiting a median more elevated subcentral area.The interzygapophyseal ridges are better developed in the vicinity of the zygapophyses featuring an X-shape to the vertebrae ( Fig. 13B View FIG ). The haemal processes in all caudal vertebrae are broken off.
Osteoderms
The osteoderms are small, relatively thin and of
rectangular shape. The outer surface displays a distinct medial ridge and a series of bifurcating and confluent tubercles are developed on the lateral sides of the osteoderm ( Fig. 13A View FIG ). A specimen (ISER Tt-0461/2) displays a uniting line which indicates that it was constituted from two consecutive osteoderms.
REMARKS
The morphology and size of trunk vertebrae approaches the condition seen in cf. Ophisaurus – morphotype I, described from the late early Miocene (MN 4) of Dolnice, Czech Republic ( Roček 1984) and that of Ophisaurus sp., described from the late Miocene (MN 13) of Polgárdi, Hungary ( Venczel 2006: fig. 2C, D). Furthermore, some resemblance with the trunk vertebrae of Anguis Linnaeus, 1758 may be evidenced too. However, the latter never displays longitudinal grooves delimiting a medial keel. In the genus Pseudopus Merrem, 1820 the centrum is more flattened and widened anteriorly ( Rage & Bailon 2005) and the osteoderms are more thickened in the middle. The osteoderms in Anguis have an oval or irregular shape and are devoid of
bony keel on their sculptured surface.
Venczel M. & Ştiucă E.
Family BLANIDAE Kearney, 2003
| ISER |
Institutul Speologie Emil G. Racovita |
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