Bony skull development in the Argus monitor (Squamata, Varanidae, Varanus panoptes) with comments on developmental timing and adult anatomy

摘要: Varanids represent one of the most charismatic squamate clades and include largest living lizards; however, little is known about their embryonic development what it might reveal origin derived anatomy. In present study, we describe external organogenesis skull formation Varanus panoptes in great detail. We compared timing ossification with patterns seen other squamates, using three major hypotheses interrelationship as phylogenetic templates, were able to detect heterochronic that are associated adult anatomy each phylogeny. However, refrain from preferring topology given current lack congruence between molecular morphological data sets. The rule thumb early appearance developmental characters correlated larger prominence adults critically discussed conclude such simple correlations exception rather than rule. entanglement processes detected herein highlights non-independent usually treated independent studies, which may bias output studies. Our comprehensive descriptions serve a resource for future studies integrating complex embryogenesis into broad-scale analyses likely show change sources diversification.