172 University of California Publications in Zoology 



1 . Prefrontal contacts jugal and lacrimal fails to contact palatine behind lacrimal 

 foramen (7-B). This character occurs also in Amblyrhynchina and in some Ctenosaura; 

 within Cyclura, it occurs only in C. carinata, C. cornuta, and C. ricordii. 



2. Frontal wider than long (8-B). This character occurs also in Amblyrhynchina and 

 Iguana delicatissima, in which it is interpreted as convergent. Within Cyclura it occurs 

 only in C. cornuta and appears to be a synapomorphy of this taxon. 



3. Parietal foramen located variably or invariably within frontal bone (13-B,-C). This 

 character occurs also in Sauromalus, Dipsosaurus, and some Ctenosaura. Within Cyclura, 

 invariable location of the parietal foramen within the frontal is characteristic only of C. 

 carinata. 



4. Cristae ventrolaterals of parabasisphenoid barely constricted behind basipterygoid 

 processes (28-C). This character occurs also in Iguana. Within Cyclura, it varies 

 considerably among taxa; in some (e.g., C. pinguis) the ventral surface of the 

 parabasisphenoid is as wide or wider than that of/, delicatissima, while in others (e.g., C. 

 carinata) it is relatively narrow, though still wider than in most iguanines other than Iguana 

 and other Cyclura (see section on fossil record of Conolophus, above). 



5. Surangular not exposed or only barely exposed below coronoid on lingual surface 

 of jaw (40-B). This character occurs also in Amblyrhynchina, in which it is interpreted as 

 convergent. Within Cyclura, it characterizes only C. cychlura, although it occurs at a 

 moderate frequency in C. nubila. 



6. Posterior portion of pterygoid tooth patch doubles ontogenetically (49-B). Within 

 Cyclura, this character occurs in C. cornuta, C. nubila, C. pinguis, and C. ricordii. This 

 character, or a further modification of it, occurs only in Iguana and some Ctenosaura and 

 Cyclura. Because its expression seems to depend on size, posterior doubling of the 

 pterygoid tooth patch may be a synapomorphy of a more inclusive group, in which case 

 failure to double would be a synapomorphy within Cyclura. 



7. Posterolateral processes of pleurapophyses of second sacral vertebra absent (57-B). 

 This character occurs also in Ctenosaura and Iguana and may be a synapomorphy of a more 

 inclusive group. Within Cyclura, I have found the processes only in C. pinguis. 



8. Snout covered by large, platelike scales (82-B). This character occurs also in 

 Iguana. Within Cyclura, it occurs in all taxa except C. carinata and C. ricordii. 

 Considerable variation in the size of these scales exists even among those Cyclura 

 possessing enlarged snout scales (figures in Schwartz and Carey, 1977). 



9. Tail bears verticils of enlarged, spinous scales (94-B). This character occurs also in 

 Ctenosaura. The degree of caudal spinosity exhibits considerable variation within Cyclura 

 (figures in Barbour and Noble, 1916). 



Fossil record: Fossil Cyclura have been reported from the Upper Pleistocene and 

 Holocene of Puerto Rico (Barbour, 1919; Pregill, 1981), St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands 

 (Miller, 1918), and New Providence Island in the Bahamas (Etheridge, 1965c; Pregill, 

 1982). The specimens from Puerto Rico have been referred to the extant species C. 

 pinguis (Pregill, 1981). A braincase and a body vertebra from the Late Pleistocene of 



