Varanoidea
| Varanoidea | |
|---|---|
| |
| Lace monitor (Varanus varius) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Infraorder: | Paleoanguimorpha |
| Clade: | Goannasauria
|
| Superfamily: | Varanoidea Münster, 1834 |
| Families | |
| |
Varanoidea is a superfamily of lizards, including the well-known family Varanidae (the monitors and goannas). Also included in the Varanoidea are the Lanthanotidae (earless monitor lizards), and the extinct Palaeovaranidae.
Throughout their long
extant lizard, the Komodo dragon
(Varanus komodoensis, ~3 meters).
Evolution
Either synonymous with, or a subgroup of, the group
snakes suggested evolution from early aquatic or burrowing varanoid lineages, although recent evidence suggests a more distant common ancestor within Toxicofera.[1][2][3]
Carroll characterises the varanoids as "the most advanced of all lizards in achieving large size and an active, predaceous way of life". Some
osteoderms (bony deposits on the skin), and many forms have hinged jaws, allowing them to open their mouths very wide when feeding (though they cannot dislocate their jaws, contrary to popular belief).[1][4]
Taxonomy
According to Estes et al., 1988, which uses morphological characteristics, Varanoidea includes
Varanus.[5] Gauthier et al., 2012 also groups these three groups together, where Helodermatidae evolved earlier than Varanidae (which includes Lanthanotus and Varanus).[6]
References
- ^ a b Carroll, R. L. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W. H. Freeman and Co. NY. p. 232
- S2CID 4386245.
- PMID 23627680.
- ^ Molnar, R. E. 2004. Dragons in the Dust: The Paleobiology of the Giant Monitor Lizard Megalania. Indiana University Press (Bloomington/Indianapolis)
- OCLC 16646258.
- S2CID 86355757.
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