Horváth Géza (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 16. (Budapest 1918)
Fejérváry, G.J.: Contributions to a Monography on fossil Varanidae and on Megalanidae 16
saurus genera, the genus Palasovaranus — which has certainly no more reason for subsisting than the former ones, — with the genus Varanus, whilst giving to the FILHOL species, which is undoubtedly a good one, the name of Varanus Gayluxi FILH. I shall yet allude to some details on the question in the chapter on system and phylogeny, and only wash 'here to examine LYDEKKER'S treatise published in 1888 under the title of «Notes on Tertiary Lacertilia and Ophidia». 1 Allusion was made to the fact of LYDEKKER having, in his Catalogue, synonymized FILHOL'S Palaeovaranus with the Helodermatoid Piacosa urusoi GERVAIS. The above mentioned publication appeared in the same year as, and shortly before, the Catalogue, so that it seems surprising to find in thio latter one LYDEKKER express himself as follows (p. Ill): «At a still later period Dr. Filhol 2 described and figured from the Quercy Phosphorite s an imperfect dentary bone under the name of Palaeovaranus Gayluxi and suggested that it might be the same as the so-called Varanus margariticeps; but since this specimen appears to belong to a true Varanus, it will be perfectly distinct from the latter.» 3 The genuineness of this statement cannot be doubted, it is therefore difficult to understand why LYDEKKER after having advanced such an opinion a few months later, in his Catalogue, inscribed this «true Varanus» as synonym of Placosaurus? — FILHOL'S original publication on «Palaeovaranus» (op. cit.) which unfortunately appears to be a study of very superficial nature, 4 not even containing a real, particular description of the fossils, — gives us three figures (Pl. XXVI), two of which (fig. 445—446) representing a right femur in dorsal and ventral view, which FILHOL refers to his «Palaeov. Gayluxi. » LYDEKKER 5 declared this femur as widely differing from Varanus and writes upon the subject in the following terms : «Finally, on comparison of a Quercy femur (No. R. 887) with the similar specimen figured by Dr. Filhol (op. cit. pl. XXVI, figs. 445—446) under the name of Palaeovaranus, I find a marked resemblance to the femur of the Anguoid genus Diploglossus and a wide difference from that of Varanus.» In his Catalogue LYDEKKER equally attributes the femur in question to Placosaurusf 1 Geol. Mag., New Ser., Dec. III. vol. V, London, p. 110-113. * Op. cit. 3 NOPCSA (op. cit. p. 43) also alludes to LYDEKKER'S work saying: «Lydekker trennt den Palaeovaratius-Vcmnv vom Kiefer und vereinigt ersteren mit Placosaurus. Der Kiefer wird auch weiterhin als Typus des Genus Palaeovaranus Cayluxi betrachtet.» 4 Even the reference to the form described by GERVAIS as «Varanus maryariticepsit •is inaccurate, FILHOL mentioning it under the name of « Varanus margaritiferus.* ' Geol. Mag. op. cit. 'See also NOPCSA (op. cit. p. 44): «Lydekker hält Placosaurus für einen
