Variaciones dentarias en Tupinambis merianae (Squamata: Teiidae)

in this paper, the different morphological types of teeth showed by a sample of 26 specimens of tupinambis merianae (squamata: teiidae) are described. unicuspid, bicuspid and blunt teeth are recognized in both the maxilla and dentary. among these tooth types, different subtypes are recognized. they vary in size and built of the teeth, the curvature, the definition of the cusps, and the magnitude of labiolingual compression. rarely pentacuspid teeth are observed. small specimens possess few anterior unicuspid and bicuspid teeth, whereas the majority of the tooth row consists of tricuspid teeth developed anteriorly to the foramen entering the alveolar canal. in larger specimens the relative number of unicuspid and bicuspid teeth increases, reaching posteriorly to the level of the foramen entering the alveolar canal. the posterior bicuspid and tricuspid teeth show a tendency to molarization. all posterior teeth are blunt molariform in specimens near the maximum size. the tendency to molarization of the posterior teeth has also been observed, in different degrees, in t. duseni, t. rufescens and t. teguixin, suggesting close phylogenetic relationships.