Jávorka Sándor - Soós Lajos (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 29. (Budapest 1935)
Fejérváry, G. J.: Further contributions to a monograph of the Megalanidae and fossil Varanidae - with notes on recent Varanians
O. pannonïcus IVORM, and O. oentralis L. — it being in the latter species extremely developed, so as to form quasi a second proc. spinosus — occurs in many Reptiles, among them in Yaranians too,** but this formation, effectively belonging to the neural spine recess, is absolutely different from what we are discussing in Megalania. the vertebrae of Megalania are. without being in any way pachyostotic, so heavy-built, so massive — rather hyperostotic — that it is quite natural that the formation of the orimental zygosphenes, as well as that of the zygantra depending upon them, shows quite different particulars than in the cases of light-built, slender skeletons. The ..irregular area above the neural canal on the anterior side" proves, however, both in position and structural details, a typical zygosphene, and my interpretation concerned has been strengthened upon the autoptical evidence offered by the splendid vertebra our Museum owes to the much obliging generosity of Mr. LONGMAN. Besides, my ^identification has been smoothly accepted, without the slightest objection, by a series of specialists, so by Prof. BROILI. Dr. CAMP and Baron NOPCSA, who all. since, refer to Megalania as possessing vertebrae provided with zygosphenes and zygantra. In the characterization of the group referred to by Baron NOPCSA. 58 under the name of „Megalaninae" this author very correctly remarks: .,small zygosphen present", in opposition to his Dolichosaurinae — gathered with the former ..subfamily" and with his ..Varaninae" into the compass of his (nomenclaturally non-valid) family ..Platynotidae" — which „a re stated to possess a .,strong zygosphen". By this morphologically exact statement my previous mistake has been silently emended in literature, and, so Far as the actual estimation of the detail in question be concerned, nothing remains to be added to the subject. Closely connected with considerations bearing upon the bionomical and biohistorical evaluation of the structure peculiar to Megalanian vertebrae, One point is still left to be here discussed. Ihat point consists in the determination of the systematical position, i. e. the phylogenetical relation, of this Australian Reptile. In my Monograph of the fossil Varanidae and the Megalanidae (1916) I assigned the systematical place of the latter family, provisionally, within the bounds of the Suborder Platynota I). & B. (lam.) emend. TTÍRBR. (sensu IÜRBR.). marking the conditionality of such arrangement by 57 Cfr. LONGMAN, op. cit. p. 22. 58 The Genera of Reptiles. Palaeobiologica, 1. Band. 1928, p. 177.
