Leiosauridae
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Leiosauridae is a family of iguanian lizards containing six genera and 34 species. The family is endemic to Central America and South America.
Taxonomy
A 2022 phylogenetic study found the Leiosauridae to be the sister taxa to the Opluridae, a unique family of iguanians endemic to Madagascar, and one of only two pleurodont lineages found outside the Americas (the other being the genus Brachylophus). This called into question the previous hypothesis of Opluridae being the last members of an ancient lineage of Gondwanan iguanians, as the study found that the Leiosauridae and Opluridae only diverged during the Paleocene, about 60 million years ago. Opluridae are now thought to have colonized Madagascar via oceanic dispersal from South America, either directly or indirectly.[1]
Genera
The family Leiosauridae contains the following genera:[2]
| Genus | Image | Type species | Taxon author | Common name | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anisolepis | A. undulatus (Wiegmann, 1834)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Boulenger, 1885 | Tree lizards | 3 | |
| Diplolaemus | File:Diplolaemus darwinii 118575343.jpg D. darwinii |
D. darwinii Bell, 1843Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Bell, 1843 | Patagonian lizards | 4 |
| Enyalius | File:Papa vento - Enyalius catenatus.jpg E. catenatus |
E. catenatus (Wied, 1821)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Wagler, 1830 | Fathead anoles | 11 |
| Leiosaurus | File:Leiosaurus bellii 91861708.jpg L. bellii |
L. bellii Duméril & Bibron, 1837Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Duméril & Bibron, 1837 | Smooth iguanas | 4 |
| Pristidactylus | File:Pristidactylus achalensis 01.jpg P. achalensis |
P. fasciatus (d'Orbigny & Bibron, 1837)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Fitzinger, 1843 | Big-headed iguanas | 10 |
| Urostrophus | U. vautieri Duméril & Bibron, 1837Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | Duméril & Bibron, 1837 | Steppe iguanas | 2 |
References
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ "Leiosauridae". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
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Further reading
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- Frost, Darrel R.; Etheridge, Richard; Janies, Daniel; Titus, Tom A. (2001). "Total Evidence, Sequence Alignment, Evolution of Polychrotid Lizards, and a Reclassification of the Iguania (Squamata: Iguania)". American Museum Novitates (3343): 1-38. (Leiosauridae, new family, p. 12).