Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

Journal of Paleontology

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by NYDAM, R. L. Articles by SANKEY, J. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

NEW TAXA OF TRANSVERSELY-TOOTHED LIZARDS (SQUAMATA: SCINCOMORPHA) AND NEW INFORMATION ON THE EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF "TEIIDS"

¹ Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, Arizona 85308, <rnydam{at}midwestern.edu>,
² Department of Geosciences, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah 84408,
³ Department of Physics and Geology, California State University, Stanislaus, 801 West Monte Vista Ave., Turlock, California 95382

New material of polyglyphanodontine lizards from the Late Cretaceous has been found in various localities in western North America. Several transversely oriented teeth representing a new species of Dicothodon were recovered from the Turonian of southern Utah. These specimens necessitate reassignment of Polyglyphanodon bajaensis to Dicothodon (Polyglyphanodon) bajaensis. From the Campanian of Utah, additional teeth and jaw fragments referable to Manangysaurus saueri have been recovered and this species is reassigned here to Peneteius (Manangysaurus) saueri. Also, an isolated tooth referable to Peneteius has been recovered from the Campanian of southern Texas. The results of a phylogenetic analysis support a monophyletic grouping of the transversely-toothed taxa with Bicuspidon as the sister taxon of Polyglyphanodontini new taxon, which is comprised of Polyglyphanodon, Dicothodon, and Peneteius. The phylogenetic analysis also places "teiid" lizards from the Cretaceous of Asia and North America in a monophyletic group, Borioteiioidea new taxon, which is the sister taxon to the Teiioidea (Teiidae + Gymnophthalmidae). This new hypothesis of the interrelationships of these taxa requires the reevaluation of several characteristics that were previously considered diagnostic for a more inclusive Teiidae. Another implication of our results is that Teiidae (sensu stricto) has no demonstrable pre-Tertiary occurrence. It appears that Teiioidea and Borioteiioidea diverged from a common ancestor by the Early Cretaceous. The Teiioidea entered South America and are currently represented by the Teiidae and Gymnophthalmidae, whereas Borioteiioidea radiated throughout North America with subsequent dispersal to Asia and Europe.