CARTILAGE CORDIS IN SERPENTS

Background: The cartilage cordis, a cartilaginous element present with in the heart, has been found in a number of vertebrates. The present s tudy provides a detailed description and comparative analysis of the c artilage cordis in snakes. Methods: Transverse sections through the he arts of 42 snakes and three monitor lizards were examined. Results: A cartilage cordis was found near the roots of the aortic trunk and pulm onary artery in eleven species of snakes. There is substantial variati on in the size, shape, and precise location of the cartilage cordis. C onclusions: The presence of a cartilage cordis does not correlate with body size, taxonomic relationships, or habitat preference. The cartil age cordis may simply represent an illustration of the potential for c hondrification that is present in the connective tissue of the aortico pulmonary septum. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.