Skull Anatomy and Bone Features

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the bones, sutures, views, openings, and anatomical landmarks of the human skull.

Neurocranium

Also known as the cranial vault; it protects the brain, houses the organs of hearing and balance, serves as an attachment site for head and neck muscles, and consists of 4 singular bones and 2 sets of paired bones.

Calvarium

The domelike roof of the neurocranium.

Singular Bones of the Neurocranium

The four unpaired bones of the cranial vault: Frontal, Ethmoid, Sphenoid, and Occipital bones.

Paired Bones of the Neurocranium

The two sets of bilateral bones of the cranial vault: Temporal and Parietal bones.

Sutures

Immovable joints that form the boundaries between cranial bones.

Coronal Suture

The suture that articulates the frontal bone with the parietal bones.

Lambdoid Suture

The suture that articulates the parietal bones with the occipital bone.

Sagittal Suture

The midline suture that articulates the right and left parietal bones.

Squamous Suture

The suture that articulates the temporal bone with the parietal bone.

Fontanelle

A membranous interval at the margins of cranial bones in the fetal skull, such as the anterior, posterior, and sphenoid fontanelles.

Nasal Septum

The vertical partition in the nasal cavity formed by the junction of the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone and the vomer.

Alveolar Area

The specialized border of the maxilla and mandible that houses the teeth.

Supraorbital Notch / Foramen

An opening located along the superior rim of the orbit that serves as a passage for a branch of Cranial Nerve $V_1$ (the supraorbital nerve).

Infraorbital Foramen

An opening in the maxilla below the orbit that transmits a branch of Cranial Nerve $V_2$ (the infraorbital nerve).

Superior Orbital Fissure

An elongated gap in the orbit that serves as a passage for Cranial Nerves III, IV, $V_1$, and VI.

Inferior Orbital Fissure

A fissure along the floor of the orbit that transmits a branch of Cranial Nerve $V_2$ (the infraorbital nerve).

Nasolacrimal Canal

A bony canal within the medial wall of the orbit that provides passage for the nasolacrimal duct.

Zygomatic Arch

A bridge of bone on the lateral side of the skull formed by the union of the zygomatic process of the temporal bone and the temporal process of the zygomatic bone.

External Acoustic Meatus

The ear canal opening situated on the lateral surface of the temporal bone.

External Occipital Protuberance

A prominent midline bony projection on the external surface of the occipital bone.

Carotid Canal

A passageway in the temporal bone on the inferior skull and cranial floor that transmits the internal carotid artery.

Stylomastoid Foramen

An opening between the styloid and mastoid processes that serves as a passage for Cranial Nerve VII (Facial Nerve).

Occipital Condyle

A rounded articular prominence on the inferior occipital bone that articulates with the first cervical vertebra (atlas).

Mastoid Process

A conical prominence projecting from the temporal bone behind the ear that serves as the attachment site for the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM).

Mandibular Fossa

A depression on the inferior surface of the temporal bone that articulates with the condylar process of the mandible.

Crista Galli

A vertical crest of the ethmoid bone projecting into the cranial floor that serves as an attachment site for the falx cerebri.

Sella Turcica

A saddle-shaped depression in the sphenoid bone within the cranial floor that houses the pituitary gland.

Petrous Portion (of Temporal Bone)

A dense, triangular ridge of the temporal bone in the cranial floor that protects the inner ear structures.

Cribriform Plate

A sieve-like region of the ethmoid bone in the cranial floor that provides passage for the olfactory nerves (Cranial Nerve I).

Optic Canal

An opening in the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone that transmits the optic nerve (Cranial Nerve II).

Foramen Rotundum

A round opening in the sphenoid bone that provides passage for Cranial Nerve $V_2$ (the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve).

Foramen Ovale

An oval-shaped foramen in the sphenoid bone that serves as a passage for Cranial Nerve $V_3$ (the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve).

Foramen Spinosum

A small opening in the sphenoid bone situated posterolateral to the foramen ovale that transmits the middle meningeal vessels.

Foramen Lacerum

An opening in the cranial floor that is not a true patent opening in life because it is filled with cartilage in a living person.

Internal Acoustic Meatus

An opening in the petrous part of the temporal bone that transmits Cranial Nerve VIII (vestibulocochlear nerve).

Jugular Foramen

A large opening between the temporal and occipital bones that provides passage for the internal jugular vein and Cranial Nerves IX, X, and XI.

Hypoglossal Canal

A canal located through the base of each occipital condyle that transmits Cranial Nerve XII (hypoglossal nerve).

Foramen Magnum

The large opening at the base of the occipital bone that transmits the vertebral arteries, spinal cord, and Cranial Nerve XI (accessory nerve).

Condylar Process

The posterior process on the superior margin of the mandibular ramus that articulates with the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone.

Mental Foramen

An opening on the anterolateral body of the mandible that serves as a passage for the mental nerve and blood vessels.

Mandibular Foramen

An opening situated on the medial surface of the ramus of the mandible that allows passage for the inferior alveolar nerve and serves as the injection site for dental anesthesia.