BioOne.org will be down briefly for maintenance on 17 December 2024 between 18:00-22:00 Pacific Time US. We apologize for any inconvenience.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 March 2003 A NEW IGUANID LIZARD (SQUAMATA, IGUANIDAE) FROM THE LATE QUATERNARY OF FIJI, SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
Gregory K. Pregill, Trevor H. Worthy
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Fossils of a spectacularly large (ca. 500 mm SVL) iguanid lizard were found in late Quaternary sediments on Fiji's main island Viti Levu. The lizard is distinct from the living Fiji iguanas, Brachylophus, by the presence of a parietal foramen located in the frontal bone, an anterior inferior alveolar foramen in the splenial, the possession of autotomic fracture planes in the caudal vertebrae, and much larger size. Like Brachylophus, this lizard appears to be basal among Iguanidae, but its relationship is unresolvable with the evidence available. This giant iguana probably became extinct in Fiji soon after the first human colonization about 3000 yr ago.

Gregory K. Pregill and Trevor H. Worthy "A NEW IGUANID LIZARD (SQUAMATA, IGUANIDAE) FROM THE LATE QUATERNARY OF FIJI, SOUTHWEST PACIFIC," Herpetologica 59(1), 57-67, (1 March 2003). https://doi.org/10.1655/0018-0831(2003)059[0057:ANILSI]2.0.CO;2
Accepted: 1 May 2002; Published: 1 March 2003
KEYWORDS
Brachylophus
Fiji
Holocene extinction
Iguanidae
new genus
new species
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top