science

Leiocephalus apertosulcus

Leiocephalus apertosulcus is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Leiocephalus apertosulcus rather than just read about it. In short: Leiocephalus apertosulcus, also known as the Banica giant curlytail lizard, is an extinct species of curly-tailed lizard from Hispaniola. This species stands out within the genus Leiocephalus for its unique skeletal characteristics and large size.

Key takeaways

Leiocephalus apertosulcus belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Leiocephalus apertosulcus to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Leiocephalus apertosulcus from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Leiocephalus apertosulcus, also known as the Banica giant curlytail lizard, is an extinct species of curly-tailed lizard from Hispaniola. This species stands out within the genus Leiocephalus for its unique skeletal characteristics and large size.

Taxonomy The species was described by Richard Emmett Etheridge in 1965. The holotype specimen MCZ(VP) 3404 consists of a right dentary found in Stratum 2 of the cave. Phylogenetically, L. apertosulcus along with L. cuneus and L. anonymous, are thought to form a sister group with L. greenwayi.

Etymology Derived from Latin: "apertus" meaning "open" and "sulcus" meaning "groove", referring to its distinctive completely open Meckel's groove on the dentary.

Morphology Leiocephalus apertosulcus was remarkably large, with an estimated snout-vent length of 150–200 mm. This size surpassed all living Leiocephalus species—even L. carinatus, which reaches only 130 mm. It also dwarfed its largest Hispaniolan relative, L. melanochlorus (108 mm). Along with L. anonymous, it was one of only two Leiocephalus species that possessed an open Meckel's groove, making it an important specimen for understanding the evolution of this genus in the Caribbean region.

Distribution The species was endemic to Hispaniola, known only from the type locality in western Dominican Republic near the Haitian border. The fossils were discovered in a cave in Cerro de San Francisco, Elías Piña Province. These remains were found in deposits dating back to the Late Pleistocene.

Extinction The extinction of L. apertosulcus aligns with the general pattern of late Pleistocene extinctions in the West Indies, possibly linked to climatic changes or human arrival. The fossil record shows that the cave where the remains were found contained numerous extinct vertebrates, indicating significant ecological shifts during the transition from the Pleistocene.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Leiocephalus apertosulcus

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Leiocephalus apertosulcus claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Leiocephalus apertosulcus before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Leiocephalus apertosulcus ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Leiocephalus apertosulcus

In research: Leiocephalus apertosulcus appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Leiocephalus apertosulcus in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Leiocephalus apertosulcus is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Fossil taxa described in 1965, Fossils of the Dominican Republic, Leiocephalus, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Leiocephalus apertosulcus outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Leiocephalus apertosulcus in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Leiocephalus apertosulcus means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Leiocephalus apertosulcus out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Leiocephalus apertosulcus in simple terms?

Why does Leiocephalus apertosulcus matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Leiocephalus apertosulcus?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Leiocephalus apertosulcus.