Skeletal Osteology of the Lacertid Lizards Phoenicolacerta laevis (Gray, 1838) and Phoenicolacerta cyanisparsa (Schmidtler et Bischoff, 1999) (Squamata: Lacertidae)

Abstract

The adult skeletons of lacertid lizards Phoenicolacerta laevis and P. cyanisparsa are described based on cleared-and-stained specimens. In comparison with each lacertid species, there are remarkable differences in both cranial and postcranial bones. These are the shape of some cranial bones such as the premaxilla, nasal, quadrate, squamosal, jugal and dentary and the shape of the ischium and ischio-pubis opening and the number of the last presacral vertebrae with small ribs for the postcranial skeletal elements. These detailed descriptions provide as a model to compare lacertid lizards and contribute to understand squamate osteology for further studies.