Reptiles Guide

Lepidosauromorphs  Fossil range: Late Permian - Recent
A Plumed Basilisk
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Sauropsida   Subclass: Diapsida   Infraclass: Lepidosauromorpha
Orders
See text

Lepidosauromorpha is a group of reptiles comprising all diapsids closer to lizards than to archosaurs (including crocodiles and birds). The only living sub-group is the Lepidosauria: extant lizards, snakes, and tuatara.

Classification

• Subclass Diapsida
  • LEPIDOSAUROMORPHA
    • Acerosodontosaurus (extinct)
    • Superorder Sauropterygia - Plesiosaurs (extinct)
    • Lepidosauriformes
      • Order Eolacertilia (extinct)
        • Icarosaurus
        • Kuehneosaurus
      • Superorder Lepidosauria
        • Order Sphenodontia - Tuatara
        • Order Squamata
          • Suborder Lacertilia - Lizards
            • Family Mosasauridae
          • Suborder Serpentes - Snakes
          • Suborder Amphisbaenia - Worm lizards

A new phylogenetic analysis indicates that indeed there are two major branches to the reptile family tree, the archosauromorphs and the lepidosauromorphs. Cephalerpeton is at the base of the Lepidosauromorpha. More derived clades include capitorhinids; an unnamed clade that includes caseids, Milleretta, Oedaleops, Eunotosaurus and Acleistorhinus; Belebey plus Bolosaurus; diadectomorphs; Procolophon; pareiasaurs including turtles; Lanthanosuchus; Nyctiphruretus; owenettids; Paliguana; Saurosternon; Coelurosauravus; kuehneosaurids; Homoeosaurus and the sphenodontids (including rhynchosaurs and trilophsaurs); and finally three clades of lepidosaurs. The three clades include two traditional ones with extant members, the Iguania and the Scleroglossa. The third and newest lepidosaur clade has Huehuecuetzpalli at its base followed by Jesairosaurus + the drepanosaurids and Macrocnemus + the Fenestrasauria, which includes tanystropheids and pterosaurs among others. Acerosodontosaurus and sauropterygians are archosauromorphs in the new analysis.