The skull of the Turks and Caicos rock iguana, Cyclura carinata (Squamata: Iguanidae).
PeerJ
; 12: e17595, 2024.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39026542
ABSTRACT
We provide a detailed and first description of the skull, hyoid apparatus, and trachea of the Turks and Caicos rock iguana, Cyclura carinata (Squamata Iguanidae). Cyclura is a radiation of iguanas restricted to islands of the Caribbean Sea. Species of Cyclura have high rates of endemism, and all species are severely threatened with extinction. Our anatomical description of this threatened iguana is based on high-resolution computed tomography scans of one adult, one putative adult or near adult, and one juvenile specimen, and includes three-dimensional segmented renderings and visualizations. We discuss some observations of intraspecific and ontogenetic variation, and provide a brief comparison with specimens of another species of Cyclura and published descriptions of other iguanas. Our study provides a cranial osteological framework for Cyclura and augments the body of knowledge on iguana anatomy generally. Finally, we posit that our description and future studies may facilitate identification of fossil Cyclura, which could help understand the paleobiogeography of the genus.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Crânio
/
Iguanas
Limite:
Animals
País/Região como assunto:
Caribe ingles
/
Turcos e caicos
Idioma:
En
Revista:
PeerJ
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos