Squamate relationships based on C-mos nuclear DNA sequences

Relationships among squamate families have classically been difficult to es tablish, with morphological characters being interpreted to give many diffe rent topologies. Here we combine new C-mos nuclear DNA sequence data with t hose already published to assess relationships of 19 families within the Sq uamata. Monophyly of all the families examined is upheld. Many relationship s between families are estimated, although it appears there may have been r apid cladogenesis associated with the origins of the Squamata.