Cranial Skeleton Vocab

• What does acrodont mean?

  teeth that have no root and are fused to the margin of the jaw bone at their base

  
• What does akinetic skulls mean?

   akinetic means that the bones of the skull cannot move, they are fused together. common in vertebrates that chew food instead of swallowing whole
• What does alisphenoid mean?

   Positioned in the skull, it is a part of cartilage bone in mammals.
• What does anapsid roof mean?

   A skull that lacks  skull openings besides opening for the eyes and the nose
• What does articular mean?

  Relating to either the structure of a joint or the joint in general.
• What does autopalatine mean?

  an attached bone in the roof of the mouth of a fish that can assist in structural support of the mouth 
• What does autostylic mean?

  A direct connection of the jaws and the cranium, rather than having an indirect connection done through the use of a hyoid arch. This leads to the autostylic jaw being divided in to three parts: monimostylic, streptostylic, and holostylic
• What does basilbranchial mean?

   A rod-like bone which extends through the midline of the thoat.
• What does braincase mean?

  The neurocranium, often known as a braincase, is formed by the cranial bones. The braincase functions by forming a cranial cavity, containing, and protecting an organism's brain. 
• What does branchial arch mean?

   A bony or cartilaginous curved arches which rest on either side of the pharynx that support the gills.
• What does buccal mean?

  buccal refers to the cheek and is used when talking about anything involving or within the cheek region
• What does canine mean?

   Canine teeth are located at the front of the jaw beside the insisor teeth on the top and bottom jaw, these teeth come to a single point for tearing and puncturing flesh. These are usually larger in carnivorous organisms, along the evolutionary timeline. 
• What does carnassial mean?

   In carnivores the large last upper premolar and first lower molar used for cutting flesh. 
• What does choanae mean?

   openings connecting the nose and the mouth area for breathing through the nose
• What does chondrocranium mean?

  The large portion of an elasmobranch's head skeleton that is comprised of cartilage (endochondral ossification) which protects and supports sensory organs and the brain
• What does cranial kinesis mean?

  A way to configure the movement at the joint between the upper and lower jaw and the movement between the upper jaw and the braincase. It involves mobile joints between the rostrum the braincase and the jaw.
• What does cranial shield mean?

  A braincase heavily ossified with jaws attached composed of a set of dermal plates/bones that enclose the pharynx and braincase
• What does cranium mean?

  The portion of the skull that protects the brain.
• What does crown mean?

  a cap that covers the tooth that protects and restores the broken or damaged tooth underneath
• what does dental lamina mean?

  The first stage in tooth development that initiates the thickening of the epitheleal.
• What does dentary mean?

  Bone found in the anterior jaw that bears the lower teeth and plays a major role in structure and function. 
• What does dermatocranium mean?

  A portion of the vertebrate cranium that is made up of dermal bones and forms the outermost cover as well as superficial parts of the skull in more recent vertebrates 
• What does diapsid skull mean?

  a skull with two openings, otherwise known as temporal fenestrae, toward the back; one sits above the eye and the other sits below
• What does diphyodont mean?

  The teeth's condition to develop into two generations during an organism's growth, which include the deciduous teeth followed by the permanent teeth.
• What does enamel mean?

   Enamel is a hard, see-through substance that covers the tooth. Its function is to protect the tooth, and it is the hardest material in the body.
• What does epiglottic cartilage mean?

  Elastic cartilaginous located in the throat. The function is to prevent unwanted food or liquids from entering the trachea.
• What does ethmoid plate mean?

  a bone unpaired on the midline of the cranium of the skull to protect the brain.
• What does euryapsid skull mean?

  Euryapsid skulls are caracterized by having a single supratemporal fenestra. These fenestras serve as a critical attachment point for jaw adductor muscles.
• What does exoccipital mean?

  Cartilage bone of the cranium that borders the posterior and also lateral margins of the forum magnum.
• What does fangs mean?

  Since fangs differ in characteristics such as secreting venom or being used to hold and or tear prey; therefore, fangs can simply be defined by representing a long sharp tooth.
• What does frontal mean?

   a bone at the front of the skull that provides sheilding for the anterior portion of the brain 
• What does gill arches mean?

  Developed from the visceral arches and also referred to as branchial arches, these are bones that support the gills and house the gill rakers.
• What does gill rakers mean?

  Located on the gill arches, these skeletal elements are responsible for preventing prey from escaping and protecting the gills. Depending on their shape, one can determine the diet and feeding style of the fish being examined. 
• What does heterodont mean?

   An organism that has more than one tooth morphology along their tooth row.
• What does homodont mean?

  An organism that has teeth that are all the same shape and general size and have similar form and function
• What does hyoid arch mean?

  The second branchial arch that rises parts of the side and front of the neck as well as part of the hyoid bone and stapes. 
• What does hyomandibula mean?

  a set of bone that works to suspend the jaw and the operculum. (The operculum is the area in many fish that controls the input and output of water from the gills)
• Define hypobranchial?

  Found below the gills or bellow the branchial arches. 
• Define hypohyal?

   A ventral element of the hyroid arch, which is the second gill arche. Aids in jaw support and extension. 
• Define hypsodont?

   A group of organisms that have dentition with high crowns the dentition goes up deep into the gums and provides a sturdy deep support for grinding grass and hay.