Ctenonotus

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Ctenonotus
Ctenonotus distichus, male with erect throat.

Ctenonotus distichus , male with erect throat.

Systematics
Superordinate : Scale lizards (Lepidosauria)
Order : Scale reptiles (Squamata)
without rank: Toxicofera
without rank: Iguana (Iguania)
Family : Dactyloidae
Genre : Ctenonotus
Scientific name
Ctenonotus
Fitzinger , 1843

Ctenonotus is a genus of small lizards from the group of iguanas thatoccurson many islands in the Caribbean . The generic name is derived from the Greek and refers to the large neck crest in the type species Ctenonotus bimaculatus ("kteis" = comb + "noton" = back).

features

Ctenonotus species are small lizards and reach head-to-trunk lengths of 4.6 to 12.3 cm. In addition there is the tail whose length in this genus is always double to 2.5 times the length of the head and torso. Females often stay a little smaller than males. However, many species show no sexual dimorphism . Ctenonotus species are usually brownish or greyish, less often green.

The monophyly of the genus is supported by 46 apomorphies , 39 of which are molecular biological and 7 morphological .

The morphological include the parietal eye in the suture of the pair of parietal bones , the arrow-shaped interclavicle, a bone that connects the actual clavicle with the breastbone (sternum), 3 or 4 lumbar vertebrae and usually 6, less often 7 caudal vertebrae in front of the first vertebra capable of autotomy . These caudal vertebrae also have transverse processes , those behind them do not. The post frontal , a small, paired cover bone of the roof of the skull, is usually present. Palatine teeth may be present or absent. The splenial bone, a small bone in the lower jaw of amphibians and reptiles, may be present or absent.

distribution

Ctenonotus species are found in the Bahamas , the Turks and Caicos Islands , Hispaniola , Puerto Rico , the Virgin Islands and the Lesser Antilles north of Dominica (northern part of the Leeward Islands ).

species

The genus comprises a total of 26 species. The species are grouped into three species groups, the Ctenonotus bimaculatus species group comprising 17 species in the northern Lesser Antilles, the Ctenonotus distichus species group with 6 species in the Bahamas and Hispaniola and the 13 species Ctenonotus cristatellus species group on the Turks and Caicos Islands , Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Ctenonotus marmoratus , male
Ctenonotus sabanus
Ctenonotus cristatellus
Ctenonotus oculatus , male

literature

Web links