Mammalogy lab terms

Anterior

toward the front end; before, nose end, opposite of posterior

Bullae

rounded, hollow, thin-walled structure (ex. auditory bullae)

Condyle

Knob-shaped bump on bone that forms a joint with another bone

ex. occipital condyle

crest or ridge

elevated region (sagittal crest)

Distal

away from point of attachment, opposite from proximal

posterior

toward the rear

dorsal

back side

ventral

stomach side

proximal

situated near the point of attachment

Medial

lying in or near the plane dividing the body into two mirroring halves

Diastema

gap between teeth

Fenestra

opening through bone

foramen

opening in bone for blood vessel or nerve (example. foramen magnum)

Fossa

depression in bone for a blood vessel or nerve

Labial

pertaining to lips; side closest to tongue

Medial

Lying in or near the plane diving the body into two mirror image halves, inward side

perforation

a hole through a bone

posterior

rear; behind; tail end; opposite of anterior

process

projection of bone

example: postorbital process

proximal

situated near to point of attachment; opposite of distal

suture

junction between two contiguous bones of the skull. Different sutures close at different ages, and can help determine age of a specimen

Ventral

belly side; opposite of dorsal

auditory bullae

hollow structure on ventral/posterior portion of skull; used to amplify sound

braincase

part of the skull that encases the brain

foramen magnum

hole in the base of the skull through which the spinal cord passes

Palatine

hard roof of the mouth; also called the palate

infraorbital foramen

hole in maxilla below the orbit; several important veins and nerves pass through here

Jugal

bone in the zygomatic arch; located between maxilla and squamosal

mandible

lower jaw bone

masseter

muscle; provides crushing/grinding force in back of mouth; compare to temporalis; more pronounced in herbivores

masseteric fossa

point of attachment for masseter

Maxilla

central bone in mid-face; upper jaw; often where upper teeth root

Orbit

area between zygomatic arch and cranium where eye rests

postorbital process

lateral projection above orbit; marks posterioer boundary of orbit

pre maxilla

bones that make up the anterior tip of the upper jaw; some teeth rooted here

rostrum

“face bones” anterior to zygomatic arches

makes up the nose

sagittal crest

ridge of bone running along dorsal midline of the skull; pronounced crest suggests strong temporalis muscles; often well defined in predators

squamosal

posterior bone in the zygomatic arch

temporalis

muscle; provides shearing/tearing power to front of mouth; compare to masseter; more pronounced in carnivores

temporal fossa

point of attachment for temporalis

zygomatic arch

cheeck bone; (made up of squamosal, jugal, maxilla); masseter attachment point

Edentate

no teeth

teeth growth

diphyodont, polyphyodont, monophydont

teeth heights

brachydont, hypsodont

teeth shape

homodont, heterodont

occlusal surface

where teeth meet each other

Upper teeth

grow from pre maxilla and maxilla

Lower teeth

grow from mandible

Diphyodont

species with deciduous teeth (teeth that fall off - milk teeth) and permanent teeth

examples: most mammals

Monophyodont

Species that grow only one set of teeth

examples; dolphins, whales, manatees, rodents

polyphyodont

more than 2 sets of teeth

examples; elephants

hypsodont

high-crowned teeth, enamel extends beyond gum line

examples; cow, horses

Brachydont

Low crowned teeth

example; humans, dogs, cats

Homodont

All teeth are the same shape

example: orca, bottlenose, dolphin

Heterodont

teeth are different shapes

example: dogs, cats, most mammals

Quadritubercular

4 cusp teeth

• selenodont

• lophodont

• bunodont

• secodont

Tribosphenic

3 cusp

• Zalambdodont

• dilambdodont

Selenodont

4 cusp

Crescent/moon shape, ridges run anterior>posterior

example: deer

Lophodont

Fused ridges, run labial> lingual, cusps appear folded

example: beavers, elephant, porcupine

Bunodont

Low-crown, flattened

Example:humans, raccoon, bear

Secodont

sharp, shearing teeth, line with sharped cusps

example: dogs

Zalambdodont

“V” shaped occlusal surface

Euloptyphla: shrews and moles

Dilambdodont

“W” shaped occlusal surface

opposums and tree shrews

Carnassial teeth

distinct carnivore teeth for ripping and shredding

• bottom jaw - first largest molar

incisors

rooted in pre-maxilla

usually single cusped

for clipping and gnawing

canines

rooted along the pre-maxilla - maxilla suture

usually single cusped

for piercing and stabbing

herbivores - often lost or reduced

Pre-molars

rooted in maxilla

crushing, grinding, mashing

axis

second cervical vertebrate; has anterior projection, the odontoid process

atlas

first cervical vertebrae; lacks a centrum

ribs

long curved bones that surround the chest cavity

sternum (breastbone)

a series of bony segments that connects the rib bones with cartilage, forming the ribcage

baculum

penis bone (found in only some primates)

Vertebra

interlocking bones that form the spinal column. There are cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and caudal.

carpals

wrist bones, distal to radius and ulna

clavicle

collarbone ; extends from acromion process of the scapula to the sternum, and provides a firm brace for the anterior limb; together with the scapula forms the pectoral girdle

humerus

long bone of the upper forelimb. articulates distally with the two bones of the lower forelimb, the radius and the ulna.

• this hinge joint is termed the elbow, and allows movement in only one plane

metacarpals

distal to carpals, elongate bones that extend to each digit of forelimb

phalanges

digits of forelimb or hindlimb

transverse coastal facet

where ribs attach

sacrum

5 fused bones, where penis attaches

radius

one of two bones of the forearm, the radius is the more medial of the two elements, and articulates at both ends in a manner that allows the two bones rotate around the other

scapula

shoulder blade; together with clavicle forms pectoral girdle

ulna

one of two bones of the forearm, generally larger than radius

calcaneus

heel bone; one of the tarsals; extends dorsally to provide leverage for the calf muscle via the Achilles’ tendon

Epipubis

additional set of pelvic bones extending anteriorly from the pubic region of the pelvis (only in monotremes and marsupials)

femur

long, proximal bone of the hindlimb, attaches to the pelvis with the deep acetabulum

fibula

distal to femur, and lateral to tibia; generally smaller than tibia

Metatarsals

distal to tarsals, elongate bones that extend to each digit of the hindlimb

pelvis

formed by ilium, ishium, and pubic

sacrum

3 to 5 vertebrae are few in number and not differentiated from lumbar vertebrate in mammals with reduced hind limbs

tarsals

ankle bones

tibia

one of the bones of the hindlimb; distal to femur, and medial to fibula; generally larger than the fibula

plantigrade

walking on the soles of the feet, like a human or a bear

digitigrade

walking on its toes and not touching the ground with its heels, as a dog, cat or rodent

uguligrade

walking on hooves

unguis

broad, hard upper portion of the hoof

subunguis

softer plate that covers the bottom of the toe and is extensively developed in hoofed animals to form a tough pad