Fig. 1. Skulls of three varanines in dorsal view: (A) Saniwa ensidens (reconstructed based on FMNH PR 2378), (B) Varanus albigularis (AMNH R 47726), and (C) Varanus gouldii (drawn after Maisano, 2001b). Note the general conservation of features between the three taxa. Saniwa ensidens possesses a greater contribution of the prefrontal to the dorsal skull roof and that the maxillae extend further dorsomedially (Rieppel and Grande, 2007). Reconstructed portions Saniwa ensidens are shown as semi-opaque shadows to minimize the morphology they hide. Note that the right palpebral has been removed from Varanus albigularis and that this taxon has a large and elaborate septomaxilla. Abbreviations: e, epipterygoid; n, nasal; pap, palpebral; sm, septomaxilla.

Published as part of Conrad, Jack L., Rieppel, Olivier & Grande, Lance, 2008, Re-assessment of varanid evolution based on new data from Saniwa ensidens Leidy, 1870 (Squamata, Reptilia), pp. 1-16 in American Museum Novitates 3630 (1) on page 2, DOI: 10.1206/596.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5390031