Lanthanotes borneensis (earless monitor lizard, Wiegmann 1829) is an extant helodermatid nesting here between Heloderma and the snake, Cylindrophis. Overall length ~20 cm. The position of the naris is similar to that of Varanus. The limbs of this burrowing lizards are reduced - a snake in the making~!

The postorbital region was elongated as in Cylindrophis and the jugal was reduced. The surangular laterally covered more of the coronoid.

The skulls of several burrowing and non-burrowing snakes demonstrating the diphyletic origin of snakes. Here Heloderma and Lanthanotes nest at the base of the burrowing snakes Cylindrophis, Uropeltis, Anomochilus and Leptotyphlops. Varanus, Adriosaurus, Eichstattisaurus and Ardeosaurus all nest at the base of the non-burrowing snakes, Pachyrhachis, Python and Nerodia.

Cifelli RL and Nydam RL. 1995. Primitive, helodermatid-like platynotan from the early cretaceous of Utah. Herpetologica. 51(3):286-29

Wiegmann AFA 1829. Über die Gesetzlichkeit in der geographischen Verbreitung der Saurier. Isis (Oken) 22 (3-4): 418–428.

wiki/Heloderma
wiki/Lanthanotes | digimorph/Lanthanotes