Temporal scales
Encyclopedia
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, the temporal scales are those scales on the side of the head between the parietal scales and the supralabial scales
Supralabial scales
In reptiles, the supralabial scales, also called upper-labials, are those scales that border the mouth opening along the upper jaw. They do not include the median scale . The term labial originates from Labium , which refers to any lip-like structure...
, and behind the postocular scales.
There are two types of temporal scales:
- Anterior temporals are in contact with the postocular scalesOcular scalesIn scaled reptiles, the ocular scales are those forming the margin of the eye. The name originates from the term oculus which is Latin for "eye" and, in the broadest sense, refers to a scale associated with the eye...
. - Posterior temporals are in vertical rows not in contact with the postocular scales; sometimes called secondary and tertiary temporals.
