The Appendicular Skeleton In The Hatching And In Young Bunopus Tuberculatus Blanford, 1874 (Gekkonidae, Reptilia)

Abstract

The appendicular skeleton and its calcification are described in Bunopus tuberculatus at 3 ages: at hatching, 6-month-old and 12-month-old. Between the 3 ages there are several differences in the osteological pattern. The epiphyses of the long bones are separated from the diaphyses by a hyaline growth zone, while the phalangeal epiphyses are fused with their diaphyses or remain separated. The mature adult limbs have many sesamoids and metaplastic calcifications. This study shows how developmental osteology can help in the identification of gecko bones.