. Bonner zoologische Monographien. Zoology. 104 : Dorsal view of a fron- tally-sectioned felid (Felis domestica) cranium illustra- ting selected characters (indi- cated by their number; see Character Analysis) of this region. Anterior is towards the top of the page. Adapted from Gilbert (1968). #49). This might be especially true for the monachines, as the least interorbital width in this subfamily occurs in the middle or posterior portion of the interorbital region (King 1972; Wyss 1988a), or, in other words, around the region of the orbitosphenoid. Our observations, however, do not sub
. Bonner zoologische Monographien. Zoology. 104 : Dorsal view of a fron- tally-sectioned felid (Felis domestica) cranium illustra- ting selected characters (indi- cated by their number; see Character Analysis) of this region. Anterior is towards the top of the page. Adapted from Gilbert (1968). #49). This might be especially true for the monachines, as the least interorbital width in this subfamily occurs in the middle or posterior portion of the interorbital region (King 1972; Wyss 1988a), or, in other words, around the region of the orbitosphenoid. Our observations, however, do not substantiate this line of reasoning. Instead, the apomorphic interorbital septum is an uncommon occurrence, being found in only Zalophus, Monachus monachus, and Monachus tropicalis (the latter of which also possesses an anteriorly located least interorbital width; see character #49). The presence of the septum in the two monk seals might indicate a synapomorphy of the genus as a whole, with a reversal in Monachus schauinslandi (ACCTRAN optimization), or simply parallel evolution in each species (DELTRAN optimization). 47) continuity of bilateral optic foramina (interorbital foramen) in interorbital region: 0 = not continuous, no common passage; 1 = continuous, form passage through interorbital region (Mitchell 1975) (). Mitchell (1975) noted that a patent interorbital foramen [, where the left and right optic foramina are continuous medially (either in whole or in part), thereby creating a foramen that pierces the interorbital region] was diagnostic of otariids and of the primitive fossil pinniped Allodesmus kernensis. Although we observed that continuity of the foramina is aided by their sharing of a common rostral border, this is not an absolute requirement, as the distribution of this character differs slightly from that of the previous one. Again, the apomorphic continuity of the foramina is uncommon, occurring as expected in Zalophus, but also independently in Marte
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