COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY OF AN ANOLIS LIZARD IN DOMINICAN AMBER:
SYSTEMATIC, TAPHONOMIC, BIOGEOGRAPHIC, AND EVOLUTIONARY IMPLICATIONS

ABSTRACT

The cranial morphology of an Anolis lizard preserved in Dominican amber, observed using pseudo-three-dimensional reconstructed images derived from high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) data, demonstrates the lack of a splenial in the lower jaw. The specimen is referred to T-clade anoles, the clade that includes the A. chlorocyanus species group, to which two other Dominican anoles in amber have been referred. The pattern of bone breakage and loss suggests trauma followed by decomposition prior to entombment. The trunk-crown ecomorph of A. chlorocyanus species group anoles was established on what was to become Hispaniola between approximately 33 and 20 million years ago.

Michael J. Polcyn. Department of Geological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 75275.
Jack V. Rogers II. Department of Geological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 75275
Yoshitsugu Kobayashi. Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, 51-11 Terao, Muroko, Katsuyama, Fukui 911-8601, Japan.
Louis L. Jacobs. Department of Geological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 75275

KEY WORDS: amber, anolis, biogeography, computed tomography, taphonomy

Copyright: Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 30 August 2002
Submission: 01 March 2002 Acceptance: 26 April 2002