Skull and Dentition Flashcards
What two main parts make up the skull?
Upper cranium (including braincase)
Mandible (lower jaw) (dentary)
Match the terms with their position on the skull
alisphenoid bone
alisphenoid canal
auditory bulla (tympanic bone)
basioccipital
basisphenoid
alisphenoid bone - 1
alisphenoid canal - 2
auditory bulla (tympanic bone) - 3
basioccipital - 4
basisphenoid - 5
Match the terms with their position on the skull
external auditory meatus
foramen magnum
frontal
infraorbital foramen
jugal
external auditory meatus - 6
foramen magnum - 7
frontal - 8
infraorbital foramen - 9
jugal - 10
Match the terms with their position on the skull
lacrimal
mandibular fossa
maxilla
nasal bone
occipital bone
lacrimal - 11
mandibular fossa - 12
maxilla - 13
nasal bone - 14
occipital bone - 15
Match the terms with their position on the skull
occipital condyle
orbit
orbitosphenoid
palatal (=incisive) foramen
palatine
occipital condyle - 16
orbit - 17
orbitosphenoid - 18
palatal (=incisive) foramen - 19
palatine - 20
Match the terms with their position on the skull
parietal
paroccipital process
postorbital process (of the frontal)
premaxilla, palatal branch
premaxilla, nasal branch
parietal - 21
paroccipital process - 22
postorbital process (of the frontal) - 23
premaxilla, palatal branch - 24
premaxilla, nasal branch - 25
Match the terms with their position on the skull
presphenoid
pterygoid
sagittal crest
squamosal
temporal fossa
presphenoid - 26
pterygoid - 27
sagittal crest - 28
squamosal - 29
temporal fossa - 30
Match the terms with their position on the skull
temporal ridge
vomer
zygomatic process of squamosal
zygomatic process of maxilla
angular process
temporal ridge - 31
vomer - 32
zygomatic process of squamosal - 33
zygomatic process of maxilla - 34
angular process - 35
Match the terms with their position on the skull
coronoid process
mandibular condyle
masseteric fossa
body
ramus
coronoid process - 36
mandibular condyle - 37
masseteric fossa - 38
body - 39
ramus - 40
What is Morphometric Analysis, and what are a few examples?
Define these terms associated with relative positioning of features
Anterior vs. Posterior
Dorsal vs. Ventral
Medial vs. Lateral
Proximal vs. Distal
Buccal
Labial
Lingual
Anterior – referring to something in front of x vs. Posterior – referring to something behind x
Dorsal – above x/top of surface vs. Ventral – below x/bottom of surface
Medial – towards the middle/midline vs. Lateral – towards the outside
Proximal – close to/towards the body vs. Distal – distant to/away from the body
Buccal – referring to the side closest/adjacent to the cheek
Labial – referring to the side closest/adjacent to lips
Lingual – referring to the side closest/adjacent to tongue
Define these 5 general skull terms
Bulla
Crest
Condyle
Foramen
Fossa
Bulla – bulbous bony prominence often housing important structures like ear
Crest - narrow, prominent ridge
Condyle – smooth, rounded projection that allows articulation with another bone
Foramen – hole in a bone that nerves, blood vessels, or muscles pass through
Fossa – shallow depression on bone surface
Define these 5 general skull terms
Line
Meatus
Plates
Process
Ramus
Line – narrow raised ridge
Meatus – small tubular opening
Plates – sometimes used to describe flatter, thinner bones
Process – small projection or bump
Ramus – branch or arm of a bone
Define these 5 general skull terms
Septum
Suture
Symphysis
Turbinates
Trochanter
Septum – bony “fence” that separates 2 regions
Suture – line where bone plates fuse typically during adulthood
Symphysis – cartilaginous junction between 2 bones
Turbinates – numerous, thin bones in nasal passage that increase surface area
Trochanter – large rounded projection for muscle attachment
Define these 5 dental terms
Homodonty
Heterodonty
Monophydonty
Diphydonty
Polyphydonty
Homodonty – all teeth look alike
Heterdonty – teeth vary in shape and size
Monophydonty – 1 set of teeth
Diphydonty – 2 set of teeth
Polyphydonty – 2+ sets of teeth
Define these 5 dental terms
Canines
Caniniform
Carnassial
Cheek Teeth
Cranium
Canines – if present, immediately posterior to incisors; anchored in maxilla
Caniniform – resembling typical canine
Carnassial – secodont teeth formed by fourth upper premolar and 1st lower molar
Cheek Teeth – if present, the premolars and molars immediately posterior to canines
Cranium – top part of skull, but sometimes used to describe the braincase
Define these 5 dental terms
Crown
Cusp
Dentary/Mandible
Dentin
Diastema
Crown –top surface of tooth, various shapes and patterns, usually covered in enamel
Cusp – raised area on the crown of a tooth (mountaintop)
Dentary/Mandible ¬– lower, moveable part of the skull used for feeding
Dentin – tooth layer between crown and root, softer than enamel; may be exposed
Diastema – space/gap between the incisors and cheek teeth. Often canine missing
Define these 5 dental terms
Incisors
Incisiform
Occlusal surface
Loph
Molar
Incisors – front grasping teeth anchored in premaxilla and dentary
Incisiform – resembling typical incisor
Occlusal Surface – where teeth fit together/make main contact w/ food
Loph – ridgelines that connect tooth cusps or that otherwise are raised areas of contact
Molar – most posterior cheek teeth, various shapes and occlusal surfaces; anchored in maxilla
and dentary
Define these 6 dental terms
Molariform
Premolar
Quadrate
Root
Tribosphenic
Tusk
Molariform - resembling typical molar
Premolar – teeth between canine and molars anchored in maxilla and dentary
Quadrate – having squre-like shape w/ 4 cusps
Root – the subsurface (below gumline) portion of tooth that anchors it into bone and contains
vascularized and innervated pulp; rooted (one or more) or rootless (ever-growing)
Tribosphenic – having 3 cusps; considered the oldest crown general pattern
Tusk – tooth disproportionally larger than others that prominently protrudes from mouth
Define
Brachydont
Hypsodont
Describe function and development of these types of teeth
Describe these 4 cheek teeth patterns
Bunodont
Conical
Cuspidate
Dilambdodont
Bunodont – usually quadrate, blunt-crowned; crushing and grinding
Conical – resembling a cone; grasping
Cuspidate – sharp yet broad-cusped; crushing, slicing, grinding
Dilambdodont – double v/lambda-shaped; generally slicing and shearing
Describe these 4 cheek teeth patterns
Lophodont
Loxodont
Peg
Prismatic
Lophodont – elongated, looped cross ridges; grinding
Loxodont – lophodont teeth with more regular washboard-like lophs; grinding
Peg – small, short conical teeth with weak or no enamel; grasping
Prismatic – lophodont teeth with zig-zagged, triangular shape; grinding and shearing
Describe these 4 cheek teeth patterns
Secodont
Selenodont
Tritubercular
Zalambdodont
Secodont – thick base, bladelike cusps; cutting, shearing, crushing; see carnassial
Selenodont – crescent moon-shaped lophs; grinding
Tritubercular – 3 sharp peaked cusps; grasping, holding, crushing
Zalambdodont – v or lambda-shaped; generally slicing and shearing
Regarding herbivore mandibles:
What would a long and thin mandible indicate and why?
What would it indicate if the mandible was thickest at the posterior and tapered toward the anterior, and why?
What would shortend, curved jaws indicate, and why?
Regarding carnivore mandibles:
What is the general jaw pattern of carnivores, and what does do functionally? How might the pattern vary slightly between hypercarnivores and mesocarnivores?
What are the 2 muscle groups associated with closing the jaws? Label the 4 muscles on the diagram.
Where do the masseter muscles attach on the skull and mandible?
What skull characteristic would indicate a large masseter muscle?
Where does the masseter muscle deliver most of its power, and what chewing functions does this enhance?
Where do the temporalis muscles originate on the skull?
Where do the temporalis muscles deliver power, and what might a well-developed temporalis indicate?
What skull characteristic might indicate increased size and power of the temporalis muscles?
What groups of mammals (3) might be expected to have these characteristics?
Besides the temporal fossa and zygomatic arch, enlargement of which other 2 parts of the skull would add capacity for larger temporalis muscles, and why?
What is a common skull characteristic of omnivores and what purpose does it serve?
Describe these dental terms
Crown
Root
Alveolus
Occlusal surface
Buccal surface
Lingual surface
Enamel
Cementum
Dentine
Pulp
Rooted
Rootless
What has been the general trend of tooth morphology in the phylogenetic lineage leading to modern mammals?
Which part of the skull does each type of tooth connect to?
Upper incisors
Upper canines
Upper premolars
Upper molars
Lower incisors
Lower canines
Lower premolars
Lower molars
What are the 4 main types of teeth?
How are they labled on a dental diagram?
Describe incisors (position, attachment point(s), shape, function)
Describe the modification of the incisors in species such as cattle and deer
Describe the modification of the incisors in rodents and lagomorphs
Describe the modification of the incisors in elephants
Describe the modification of the incisors in shrews
Describe the modification of the incisors in vampire bats (including the term used to describe their diet)
Describe canines (teeth) (common names, shape, # roots, position/attachment point, functions, sexual dimorphism)
How have the canines been modified in some mammals like pigs, walrus, musk deer, Chinese water deer, etc.?
What was a common modification of the canines in early carnivorous mammals?
What are malariform teeth? Also known as?
What are they typically used for?
What is special about them with regards to their morphology?
In general, describe the surface of molariforme teeth with regards to cusps, lophs, and crown height patterns. Besides their function, why else are these patterns so important?
Compare premolars and molars: position, cusps, deciduous/not, size, # roots
How did the shape of mammal cheek teeth change over time with relation to # of cusps? (use proper terminology)
Describe the teeth of most insectivores like shrews and moles (height, # cusps, shape)(use proper terminology)
Describe lophodont teeth (cusps, function, what types of animals have them, height, term for a specific modification)
Describe the teeth of some rodents like Arvicolinae (voles, lemmings, muskrats)
type, cusp/loph shape, height, crown shape, function (use proper terminology)
Describe selenodont teeth (cusp shape, nickname, found in what animals)
Describe cuspidate teeth (cusps, height, animals, functions)
Describe the teeth of omnivores (height, cusps, functions)(use proper terms)
Describe sectorial/secodont teeth.
Describe carnassial teeth.
Who has them, where are they located, what’s their function?
What is a dental formula and how is it calculated?
