eprintid: 10100706 rev_number: 23 eprint_status: archive userid: 608 dir: disk0/10/10/07/06 datestamp: 2020-06-15 11:34:47 lastmod: 2021-10-27 22:51:13 status_changed: 2020-06-15 11:34:47 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Khannoon, ER creators_name: Evans, SE title: Embryonic skull development in the gecko, Tarentola annularis (Squamata: Gekkota: Phyllodactylidae) ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: B02 divisions: C08 divisions: D09 divisions: F96 keywords: cranial morphology, development, lizards, osteocranium, paedomorphosis note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. abstract: Tarentola annularis is a climbing gecko with a wide distribution in Africa north of the equator. In the present paper, we describe the development of the osteocranium of this lizard, from the first appearance of the cranial elements up to the point of hatching. This is based on a combination of histology and cleared and stained specimens. This is the first comprehensive account of gekkotan pre‐hatching skull development based on a comprehensive series of embryos, rather than a few selected stages. Given that Gekkota is now widely regarded as representing the sister group to other squamates, this account helps to fill a significant gap in the literature. Moreover, as many authors have considered features of the gekkotan skull and skeleton to be indicative of paedomorphosis, it is important to know whether this hypothesis is supported by delays in the onset of cranial ossification. In fact, we found the sequence of cranial bone ossification to be broadly comparable to that of other squamates studied to date, with no significant lags in development. date: 2020-09 date_type: published official_url: https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.13213 oa_status: green full_text_type: other language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1788473 doi: 10.1111/joa.13213 lyricists_name: Evans, Susan lyricists_id: SEEVA33 actors_name: Austen, Jennifer actors_id: JAUST66 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public publication: Journal of Anatomy volume: 237 number: 5 pagerange: 504-519 event_location: England citation: Khannoon, ER; Evans, SE; (2020) Embryonic skull development in the gecko, Tarentola annularis (Squamata: Gekkota: Phyllodactylidae). Journal of Anatomy , 237 (5) pp. 504-519. 10.1111/joa.13213 <https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.13213>. Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10100706/3/Evans_Khannoon%20and%20Evans_Skull_Tarentola%20annularis.pdf