Hyalosaurus koellikeri GÜNTHER, 1873
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Higher Taxa | Anguidae (Anguinae), Diploglossa, Anguimorpha, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Koelliker's Glass Lizard G: Marokko-Panzerschleiche, Marokko-Glasschleiche |
Synonym | Hyalosaurus koellikeri GÜNTHER 1873: 351 Pseudopus apus forma ornata BOETTGER 1881 Ophisaurus koellikeri — BOULENGER 1885: 283 Ophisaurus koellikeri — SCHLEICH, KÄSTLE & KABISCH 1996: 453 Anguis koellikeri — MACEY et al. 1999 Hyalosaurus koellikeri — SINDACO & JEREMČENKO 2008 Hyalosaurus koellikeri — MEDIANI et al. 2015 |
Distribution | Morocco, NW Algeria Type locality: unknown (”offered for sale by a man who stated that he had just obtained them from a ship coming from North Africa |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Type: BMNH 1946.8.29.50 (and possibly additional specimens). |
Diagnosis | Description: Serpentiform with rudimentary flipper-like hindlegs at the sides of the cloaca; scales squarish, rhomboidal, forming straight longitudinal and transversal series; a lateral fold; eyes with lids; tail fragile (Schleich & Kästle 1996). Scalation: Prefrontal large, as broad as frontal; interparietal larger than parietals or occipital; five supraoculars on each side; ear-opening hidden. Dorsals in 14 longitudinal and 120 transversal rows, the middorsal ones obtusely keeled, lateral ones smooth; ventrals in 10 longitudinal rows. Upper and lower tail scales keeled. Hindleg rudiments longer than 2 mm (Schleich & Kästle 1996). Coloration: Brownish or olive brown with a dorsal pattern of dark spots and light iridescent speckles. At least two different colour phases occur: 1. Dark spots arranged rather regularly in transverse rows every 3rd scale row, with iridescent light blue speckles which often form incomplete ocelli. This form occurs in the Moyen Atlas and was reported from Casablanca. A very similar pattern occurs in O. harti from S-China and Vietnam. 2. Dark spots arranged irregularly covering the anterior two thirds of the SVL, with interspersed greenish speckles. This form from Inezgane (S of Agadir, Morocco) (see description and illustration in PETZOLD 1964). In both forms the dorsal pattern covers only the two anterior thirds of the SVL (Schleich & Kästle 1996). |
Comment | Limb morphology: only flipper-like hindlegs (reduced). Similar species: resembling Chalcides chalcides or Chalcides mauritanicus, but these have four rudimentary legs with toes. Phylogenetics: O. koellikeri is paraphyletic with other Ophisaurus species, but since only a few species are in this clade Macey et al. 1999 suggested to synonymize Hyalosaurus, Ophisaurus, and Pseudopus with Anguis. Type species: Hyalosaurus koellikeri GÜNTHER 1873: 351 is the type species of the genus Hyalosaurus GÜNTHER 1873. |
Etymology | Named after Swiss-born anatomist ALBERT VON KOLLlKER (1817-1906) who discovered the cellular character of the egg and asserted that all body cells descend from it (Schleich & Kästle 1996). |
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