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
Saniva described by LEIDY 1 and originating from the Eocene of Wyoming in America, is also held by NOPCSA as a Var a nid and taking this supposition for granted the Near ct is should then also be involved in the history of the evolution of Varanidae. However : LYDEKKER, ZITTEL (opp. ccit.) as well as BROILI (1911) (op. cit. p. 216) range this problematical genus with the Anguidae so. that, according to their opinion, it would not even be related to the Vbiignota but to the suborder of Lacertilia vera (=Kionocrania) .. After a conscientious perusal of LEIDY'S discriptions and drawings, I am obliged to confess to the genus «Saniva» yet appearing a complete mystery to me. Neither the description nor the drawings throw sufficient light on even the most important characters. The first question to ascertain would be whether the different fragments classified by LEIDY with this genus truly belong to eachother"? The humerus for instance presents a particularly bird-like appearance, as LEIDY himself very judicially remarks. The vertebras on the other hand, do indeed resemble those of Varanus, although the figures allow no perspective as to the shape of the dorsal surface. It must be taken into consideration however, that the vertebras of Anguidae and Varanidae in many respects bear great likeness to eachother, for which reason the resemblance with Varanus cannot be judged as a decisive phenomenon. Moreover it does not seem impossible that the vertebras will ultimately prove to belong to Varanidae and will thus have to be separated from at least a part of the remains left* FüRBRiNGER's assertion therefore has not yet been fully justified as to the Varanidae forming an «altweltliche Familie»» although otherwise their being a «sehr eng geschlossene, streng genommen nur durch eine Gattung (Varanus) repräsentierte» family, may be maintained until more light is thrown on the subject. 2 In this declaration founded on minute genealogical researches, the expression «altweltlich» deserves particular consideration, in opposition to ARLDT'S 3 opinion for instance. This subject will however again be referred to in detail with regard to Saniva as also in the chapter treating of the phylogenetical relation of Varanidae. With consideration to the geographical distribution existing in the past geological ages concerning the above, I must yet mention that the family Varanidae has up to this day only been found in an absolutely positive 1 See LEIDY'S works on this subject recorded in the iiterary references concerning Saniva (Chapter on System, «Appendix to the family Varanidae))). 2 FÜEBR1NGEK, B-itr . z . Syst . u. Genta], d. Rept., Jenaische Zeitschr. f. Naturw.. XXXIV. Bd., N, F. XXVII, Jena, 1900, p. 613, .. . . . 6 3 Entw. d. Kontinente u. ihrer Lebe welt &c, Leipzig, 1907 p. 276.
