Chapter 1-6: Introduction to Dinosaur Anatomy

Flashcards covering key anatomical terms and concepts discussed in Chapter 1-6 of the lecture, focusing on dinosaur skeletal structures and related terminology.

Pachycephalosauridae

Dome-headed dinosaurs belonging to the Ornithischian group.

Anatomical landmarks

Commodity structures such as openings or joints used to identify taxa based on bone positions and features.

Orbit

The eye socket.

Nares

The opening to the nose.

Skull

Consists of the cranium (top part of the head) and the dentary (bottom part/jaw).

Cranium

The top part of the head.

Dentary

Another term for the mandible, the jawbone which is the only tooth-bearing bone in the mandible.

Post cranium

Everything in the skeleton from the atlas (first vertebra) down to the tip of the tail.

Atlas

The first cervical vertebra.

Appendicular skeleton

Includes the appendages (limbs, legs, and arms) and the girdles (pectoral and pelvic).

Pectoral girdle

The most anterior girdle, supporting the forelimbs.

Pelvic girdle

The most posterior girdle, supporting the hind limbs.

Axial skeleton

Includes the vertebrae, skull, ribs, and tail.

Mandible

The jaw.

Fenestra

Latin for 'window', used to describe openings in the skull.

Antorbital fenestrae

A window through the skull located in front of the orbit.

Mandibular fenestrae

A window located within the mandibles.

Maxilla

One of two tooth-bearing bones in the cranium, located more posteriorly.

Premaxilla

The more anterior/superior tooth-bearing bone within the cranium.

Nasal bone

One of the roof bones located near the nasal passage.

Lacrimal

Located posterior to the antorbital fenestrae and anterior to the orbit; where tear ducts are found.

Jugular

The cheekbone, located ventral to the orbit.

Squamosal

A bone in the posterior part of the cranium.

Post orbital

Located posterior to the orbit.

Surangular

A bone positioned posterior and ventral to the post orbital.

Foramen magnum

A hole where the spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body.

Occipital condyles

Structures that sit on the atlas (first cervical vertebrae).

Infratemporal fenestrae (Lateral temporal fenestrae)

A fenestra located below the temporal region of the skull.

Supratemporal fenestrae

Fenestrae located on top of the skull, above the temporal region.

Brain case (Brain cavity)

The inside of the skull where the brain is located; endocasts are sometimes created from it.

Vertebrae

The body is the most ventral part, with a neural arch, neural spine (most dorsal part), and transverse processes.

Neural spine

The most dorsal part of the vertebrae.

Transverse processes

Parts of the vertebrae where ribs attach.

Chevrons

Bones that go ventral to the centrum, generally found in caudal vertebrae (belly ribs).

Gastralia

Belly ribs.

Osteoderms

Kind of 'bone within tissue,' exemplified by the plates on an Ankylosaurus.

Scapula

The shoulder blade, part of the pectoral girdle.

Coracoid

A bone that is part of the pectoral girdle.

Furcula

The wishbone, formed by fused clavicles in some dinosaurs (like theropods) and still found in birds.

Clavicles

Collarbones, which are fused together in some parapod dinosaurs to form the furcula.

Sternum (Sternum plates/Breast bone)

The chest bone.

Distal

Away from the body, towards the fingertips or furthest point of a limb.

Proximal

Closer to the body.

Manus

The hand.

Carpus (Carpuses)

The wrist bones.

Metacarpus (Metacarpals)

The bones in the hand, distal to the carpuses.

Digits (Phalanges)

Fingers or toes.

Ilium

The most dorsal pelvic element in dinosaurs, part of the pelvic girdle.

Pubis

One of the three bones in the pelvis, often the most anterior one when compared to the ischium.

Ischium

One of the three bones in the pelvis.

Acetabulum

The hip socket, where the femur articulates.

Sacral vertebrae

Distinct vertebrae attached to the pelvic region.

Pes

The foot.

Tarsus

The ankle bones.

Metatarsus (Metatarsals)

The bones that make up the sole of the foot.

Ungual

The distalmost phalanges on the digits, typically referring to claws or hooves.

Homology

The common language used to describe anatomy, important for comparative studies.

Taxonomy

The system for naming species, including how names are obtained and written correctly.

Systematics

The study of relationships between animals and how they are understood based on bones.