Amphisbaenians are an understudied family of worm‐like reptiles consisting of over 150 extant species in 23 genera. Relatively little is known about the cranial anatomy of the group because most members of the clade are small and poorly represented in collections. With skulls of some species only a few millimeters long, traditional anatomical methods are difficult to use. Collection curators are also hesitant to allow destructive analysis of specimens, because few specimens are generally available. Most modern studies of cranial anatomy of amphisbaenians are based upon high‐resolution X‐ray CT scans. CT scanning is nondestructive and allows for detailed examination of even small elements. Most of those studies remain focused on a single specimen and therefore do not account for variation beyond potential asymmetry in a single specimen. We focus on a collection of specimens from a single genus, Zygaspis, and examine their upper and lower jaws and teeth to better estimate morphological variation within a tightly circumscribed clade of Amphisbaenans. The cranial anatomy of Z. quadrifrons is well described, although the description is based on a single specimen. That baseline description now allows for both inter‐ and intraspecific variation to be estimated by expanding the previous work to include other specimens of Z. quadrifrons and other species in the genus. Here, we examined Z. quadrifrons, Z. vandami, Z. niger, Z. ferox, Z. violacea, Z. dolichomenta, and Z. kafuensis, whose collective distribution spans most of southern Africa from the southern reaches of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Tanzania/Mozambique border to southern South Africa. One adult specimen from each species was CT scanned and analyzed with Amira software. We examined over 20 dental and mandibular characters, including tooth count, size, and orientation, the presence or absence of specific teeth and processes, and the morphology of the coronoid articulation with other elements of the mandible. We found significant variation in several features, including apparent variation in replacement teeth. Our preliminary results suggest that inter‐ and intraspecific variation does exist and should be accounted for in functional and phylogenetic studies. Further analysis of the genus, with an increased sample size and broadening to incorporate other cranial variables, would allow enhanced exploration of the morphological variation that occurs within Zygaspis.Support or Funding InformationSam Houston State University

Over the past decade, Structure from Motion (SfM) has increasingly been used as a means of digital preservation and for documenting archaeological excavations, architecture, and cultural material. However, few studies have tapped the potential of using SfM to document and analyze taphonomic processes affecting burials for forensic sciences purposes. This project utilizes SfM models to elucidate specific post-depositional events that affected a series of three human cadavers deposited at the South East Texas Applied Forensic Science Facility (STAFS). The aim of this research was to test the ability for untrained researchers to employ spatial software and photogrammetry for data collection purposes. For a series of three months a single lens reflex (SLR) camera was used to capture a series of overlapping images at periodic stages in the decomposition process of each cadaver. These images are processed through photogrammetric software that creates a 3D model that can be measured, manipulated, and viewed. This project used photogrammetric and geospatial software to map changes in decomposition and movement of the body from original deposition points. Project results indicate SfM and GIS as a useful tool for documenting decomposition and taphonomic processes. Results indicate photogrammetry is an efficient, relatively simple, and affordable tool for the documentation of decomposition.

Ngamiland is one of the most remote regions in Botswana, and its herpetofauna is largely under-surveyed. This study documents the herpetofauna of the Koanaka Hills (KH) in Ngamiland in 2009 following extensive fire destruction and compares it to the pre-fire herpetofauna collected in 2008. We also provide new records for the region for three amphibian and six reptile species, and document vouchers for two taxa that were sighted but not collected in 2008. During 2009, 14 reptile and three amphibian species were collected, bringing the total number of confirmed herpetofaunal taxa near the KH to three amphibian and 19 reptile species. For seven species this is the first published occurrence in quarter degree square 2021 Aa. Analyses measuring changes in the KH herpetofauna following the fire are inconclusive due to differences in collection effort and weather conditions. However, these data suggest that fire impact was minimal.