Figure 4
Skull modularity of leptotyphlopid scolecophidians. Leptotyphlopids exhibit a highly consistent pattern of modularity, in which the palatomaxillary elements (in italicized boldface) are thoroughly integrated with the snout. (a–f) Typical pattern of leptotyphlopid skull modularity, illustrated using Epictia albifrons (MCZ R-2885) in (a) dorsal, (b) ventral, (c) left lateral, and (d) right lateral views of the skull, and (e) left lateral and (f) right lateral views of the mandible. (g) Network dendrogram of Epictia, reflecting this general leptotyphlopid network structure. Q-modules are indicated by Qmax (represented by the red dotted line). S-modules are indicated by black (p < 0.001), grey (0.001 ≤ p < 0.01), or white (0.01 ≤ p < 0.05) circles. (h) Network representation of the skull of Epictia (see Supplementary Fig. S58 for labelled version). mx maxilla, pal palatine, pt pterygoid. Dendrogram and network generated in R [v.4.0.3]122 and RStudio [v.1.3.1093]123 (see “Methods” section); specimen visualized in Dragonfly [v.4.1]114. MCZ scan data used by permission of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University.
