The existence of both interspecific and intraspecific morphological and anatomical variation in vertebral intercentra is described for the first time in Lacertidae. A sample of 380 cleared-and-stained specimens of 12 species of lacertid lizards reveals also the presence of thoracolumbar intercentra in Lacertidae, a condition previously reported within Squamata only for the families Xantusiidae and Gekkonidae. The significance of these findings in the context of phylogenetic analyses within Squamata is discussed.
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1 February 2002
Vertebral Intercentra in Lacertidae: Variation and Phylogenetic Implications
Luis J. Barbadillo,
Iñigo Martínez-Solano
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