Teiidae Gray, 1827

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 : 102

Teiidae Gray, 1827

(figs. 54C, 55C, 56B)

DEFINITION: Teius teyou , Tupinambis teguixin , and all descendants of their last common ancestor.

DIAGNOSIS: Teiidae share five unambiguous synapomorphies to the exclusion of polyglyphanodontids: 8(1) presence of der- mal sculpturing on the maxilla, 100(0) presence of a dorsal process on the squamosal, 240(0) well-developed atlantal lateral processes, 243(3) cervical intercentra fused to the succeeding vertebrae, and 285(1) symphysial and tubercular portions of the pubis of subequal length.

COMMENTS: Estes et al. defined Teiidae as ‘‘the last common ancestor of the Teiinae and Tupinambinae … and all organisms sharing a more recent common ancestor with these taxa than with any other extant organisms’’ (Estes et al., 1988: 215). Polyglyphanodontids would be considered teiids under that definition. Indeed, polyglyphanodontids have been considered part of the Teiidae in the past ( Estes, 1983; Presch, 1983; Gao and Norell, 2000; Nydam and Cifelli, 2005). However, Polyglyphanodon -like teiioids have also often been considered to constitute up to four separate ‘‘families’’ from teiids; Adamisauridae , Gilmoreteiidae (5 Macrocephalosauridae ; Langer, 1998), Mongolochamopidae (see Alifanov, 2000), and Polyglyphanodontidae (see Gilmore, 1942b; Sulimski, 1972, 1975, 1978; Alifanov, 1993a, 2000; Langer, 1998). Because of this precedent and because polyglyphanodontids sensu lato (see usage below) do not fall within the crown group Teiidae , I use the above definition for Teiidae .