Telmasaurus grangeri

Conrad, J. L., 2008, Phylogeny And Systematics Of Squamata (Reptilia) Based On Morphology, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2008 (310), pp. 1-182 : 123

Telmasaurus grangeri + Varanidae

(figs. 55E, 56D)

DIAGNOSIS: Varanidae sensu stricto (below) forms a clade with Telmasaurus grangeri based on 9(0) absence of dermal sculpturing on the prefrontal, 43(1) presence of paired lacrimal foramina, 124(1) ectopterygoid contacting the palatine in the suborbital fenestra and 140(1) entocarotid fossa indistinct/absent.

COMMENTS: This clade fits exactly with the definition Gao and Norell (1998) gave to the taxon name Varanoidea. Varanoidea as defined above and used by prior authors (e.g., Rieppel, 1980a; Pregill et al., 1986; Lee, 1997; Bernstein, 1999; Conrad, 2004a, 2006a, 2006b) is much more inclusive than the definition implemented by Gao and Norell (1998).