Roughtail Rock Agama

biology_ecology

The species inhabits various habitats in the Mediterranean region, semi-arid and arid regions, always in rocky areas. It is most common in the Mediterranean maquis habitat (supplementary Figure S 2 (b )). This species was identified at various Epipaleolithic sites in Israel, including the Kebaran sites of Iraq e Zigan (Heller 1978), Nahal Hadera V (Bar-Oz 2004) and Meged Rockshelter (Stiner 2005), and the Natufian layers of Abu Usba Cave (mixed layer with Holocene intrusions, Stekelis and Haas 1952), Hayonim Cave (Stiner 2005), Nahal Oren (Nadel et al. 1997), Nahal Ein Gev II (Munro et al. 2021), Abu Salem (Marks and Scott 1976), Ramat Harif (Munro et al. 2020), Eynan (Biton et al. 2021) and EWT (Valla et al. 1986; Lev et al. 2020).

Squamates and amphibians from the Natufian cemetery of Raqefet Cave, Israel: taphonomy, paleoenvironments and paleoclimate

description

The rock-tailed agama is the second most common lizard at the site (NISP = 44, 4 % of the total assemblage) and is represented by maxillary and mandibular specimens, and vertebrae (Figure 5 (b )). The specimens were assigned to Stellagama following Smith et al. (2016). The maxilla is characterised by a steep angulation of the triangular shaped facial process. The dorsal end of the facial process has two posterior processes that are asymmetric, the medial facial process is longer than the lateral one. There is a strong notable depression on the slightly medially curved premaxillary process. The anteromedial process is pointed in the dorsal direction. There are two anterior subpleurodont, monocuspid caniniform teeth, the second is much longer and has greater girth than the first. Posteriorly the teeth are acrodont and triangular; they are crowded and increase in size posteriorly. The Lateral surface is smooth and bears five labial (ventrolateral) foramina. The dentary is characterised by a large rounded strong mandibular symphysis. The Meckelian groove is narrow anteriorly with no restrictions, it has a constant depth and height until its posterior expansion at the angular articulati

Squamates and amphibians from the Natufian cemetery of Raqefet Cave, Israel: taphonomy, paleoenvironments and paleoclimate