acetebulum n., abbrev. ac the socket on the hip into which the head of the femur fits

alveoli n., in plesiosauria the socket that the tooth sits in. In some marine reptiles it’s a groove but in most it is an actual socket.

amphicoelous adj. describes vertebrae in which the front and back of the centrum are concave. A feature of dinosaur vertebrae that were not supposed to move very much relative to one another

anteroposteriorly adj., an anatomical term for the front part of a bone or organ in the back.  For example; The leading edge of a phalange number five is the front edge of the last finger bone in the paddle of a plesiosaur. This term is used a great deal but is far too arbitrary as it could be made to refer to anything.that is in a skeleton or on any organ. You can use it to reference what layer of skin lays in relation to another. So the last layer of epithelial cells has a leading edge to the last layer so that back edge becomes anterioposterior to the side that follows.  Because of the confusion and arbitrariness the term is better off being discarded; it is only included here as a refernece for when it appears in quoted material.

anterior adj. the front of the body, the head or in the direction of the head

antorbital fenestra n., abbrev. aof fenestration in front of the orbit; a unique distinguishing feature of the Archosaurs

appendicular skeleton n. the forelimbs, shoulders, hindlimbs and hip bones

axial skeleton n. the spine, including tail, and ribs

basicranium n. the underside of the skull not including the palate; the base of the braincase and the back of the throat. This region is made up of irregularly shaped bones whose names end in "sphenoid" and which are generally fused together into a solid unit

basioccipital n. lower margin of the braincase, at the back of the skull

carpus n., abbrev. CS the section of the forefoot between the metacarpus and the wrist joint.  carpal adj., abbrev. cl describes a bone of the carpus (carpals are sometimes called "wrist bones")

caudal adj. pertaining to the tail.

caudal vertebrae n., pl.  the vertebrae of the tail

centrum n., pl. centra, abbrev.cent the large, round spool-like cebntral part of a vertebra - illustration

cervical adj. of the neck. For example, the vertebrae of the neck are called cervical vertebrae

cervical ribs n. ribs coming off the neck vertebrae

cervical ribs double-headed -  A rib from the neck that has two points of attachment to the vertebra.

cervical ribs single-headed - A rib from the neck that has one point of attachment to the vertebra.

cheek - the side of the skull in most animals

choana n., pl. chonae the opening between the nasal cavity and the pharynx

coracoid n., abbrev. co semicircular bone attached to the front of the scapula

cranial adj. pertaining to the skull.

dentary bone n., abbrev. d bone in the mandible

digit n. the finger or toe

distal adj. describes a feature anatomically located farther away from, or in the direction away from, the central part of the body or point of attachment or origin. Usually used in the description of limb bones. For example, the ankle is distal of the knee

dorsal adj. a top-down perspective, looking at the back, pertaining to teh back or upper side of an animal.  Opposite to ventral

epipodials n. the lower leg or arm bone - the fibula and tibia or ulna and radius

femur n. - the upper leg bone, the thigh bone

fenestra n., pl. fenestrae an opening, such as a hole.  In reptile skulls the pattern of fenestrae is useful in classification

“The fifth (V) metapodial has shifted proximally to the distal  mesapodial row” means that the first bone of the  phalange (finger) at the far end of the paddle from the head had shifted upwards to the last row of the wrist bones or mesopodials.  See illustration

foramen n., pl. foramina an opening, such as a hole, generally smaller than a fenestra

gastralia n. abdominal, or belly, ribs, generally not attached to the spine or thoracic ribs

glenoid adj. describes the pocket formed by the scapula and coracoid into which the forearm inserts

humerus n., abbrev. h the upper forearm or foreleg bone, the "funny bone"

hyperphalangy v. - the tendency to increase the number of joints (phalanges) in teh digits (fingers and toes)

ilium n., abbrev. il top hip bone to which the sacral vertebrae attach

integument n. the skin and the structures associated with it, including nails, claws, hooves, scales and feathers

ischium n., abbrev. is rear hip bone

lacrimal bone n., abbrev. l cheek bone immediately in front of the orbit - illustration

lateral adj. in the direction away from, or farther from, a midline bisecting the animal. e.g. the limbs

longitudinal adj. running length-wise, paralel to the main axis - e.g. teeth longitudinal ridges on teeth are ridges or furrows that run down the length of the tooth

mandible n. all the bones of the lower jaw

mandibular fenestra n., abbrev. mdf lower jaw fenestration

mandibular symphysis n.,  the point in the lower jaw where to two halves meet in the chin. Sometimes it is fused but in most fossil specimens it detaches so the mandibles are found in right and left halves.

manus n. the forefoot or hand

maxillary bone n., abbrev. mx one of the upper jaw bones, at the side of the skull - the main (usually toothbearing) bone of the upper jaw, posterior to the premaxilla - illustration

medial adj. in the direction of, or closer to, a midline bisecting the animal.  The opposite of distal

median line n. the line along the middle of the body, e.g. where two paired skull or hip or shoulder bones meet.

mesopodials n.  the ankle or wrist bone - fibulare, intermedium, and tibiale or ulnare, intermedium, and radiale, and all 1,2,3,4 centralia; See illustration

metacarpus n., abbrev. MC the section of the forefoot between the phalanges and the carpus; in humans, the long bones of the hand.  metacarpal n., abbrev. mc describes a bone of the metacarpus

metapodials n. - the fingers or toes - all phalanges I, II, III, IV, V; See illustration

metatarsus n., abbrev. MT the section of the hindfoot between the phalanges and the tarsus; in humans, the long bones of the foot.  metatarsal adj. abbrev. mt describes a bone of the metatarsus

naris, nares n. the nostrils, or the external opening in the skull of the nasal cavity

nasal bone n., plural nasals,  abbrev. na paired skull bones at the upper front, adjacent the nostril - illustration

neural arch n., abbrev. na the opening in a vertebra through which the spinal cord passes - illustration

neural spine n., abbrev. sp the large spike or ridge of bone that rises above the top of a vertebra to which the muscles and tendons for raising the neck attach - illustration

occipital condyle n.., ball-like knob at back of skull that provides an attatchment for the first vertebra

orbit n., abbrev. o the eye socket, the opening in the skull for the eye

osteoderm n. any bone or armour plate imbedded in the skin, usually for protection and display

palate n. - the roof of the mouth

parietal bone n., abbrev. par paired bones at the back of the roof of the skull - surround the pineal opening ("3rd eye")  - illustration

pelvis n. one of the bones of the hip

pes n., pl. pedes the hind-foot

phalanges n, (sing. phalanx) abbrev. phx a bone in a digit of a foot; a bone in a finger or toe

postcranian. (generally incmplete) elemnts of the postcranial skeleton

postcranial skeleton n. all of the skeleton except the skull

posterior adj. behind; closer to or in the direction of the rear or tail.  See also caudal.

postorbital bone n., abbrev. po cheek bone immediately behind the orbit  - illustration

predentary bone n., abbrev. pd mandible bone, unique to Ornithischian Dinosaurs, just in front of the dentary bone in the lower jaw

prefrontal bone n., abbrev. prf skull bone in front of the orbit - illustration

premaxillary bone n., abbrev. pmx skull bone just forward of the maxillary in the front of the upper jaw - upper jaw tip, the most anterior bone of the upper jaw - illustration

procoelous adj. describes vertebrae in which the front of the centrum is concave and the rear of the centrum  is convex -- so that the rear of the vertebra fits into the next vertebra behind like a ball-and-socket joint - illustration

propodials: n. the upper leg or arm bone - femur or humerus; See illustration

proximal adj. describes a feature anatomically located closer to, or in the direction of, the central part of the body or point of attachment or origin. Usually used in the description of limb bones.

pubis n., abbrev. pu the hip bone, the forward hip bone

quadrate bone n., abbrev. q cheek bone at the rear of the skull  - illustration

quadratojugal bone n., abbrev. qj cheek bone at the lower rear of the skull  - illustration

radius n. abbrev. ra the inner bone (closer to the trunk) of the foreleg/forearm

ramus n., Bot., Zool., Anat. a branch, as of a plant, vein, bone, etc.

sacrum n., sacral adj. the part of the backbone attached to the pelvis, usually formed by the fusion of two or more vertebrae

sacral vertebrae n., those vertebrae attached to the pelvis

scapula n., abbrev. sc the shoulder blade

scapulocoracoid n. bone formed by the fusion of the scapula and coracoid

sclerotic plate n., abbrev. scl bone on the eyeball that provides a strong attachment point for muscles. Typical of animals that rely heavily on vision (e.g. birds, ichthyosaurs). sclerotic ring n. ring of sclerotic plates that supports the eyeball

squamosal bone n., abbrev. sq skull bone behind the orbit, towards the raer of the skull - illustration

sternum n. the breast bone, in the front of the chest.  In birds, the two sternal plates are fused solidly together into a relatively huge, keeled breastbone that serves to anchor the pectoral muscles that work the wings

tarsal adj., abbrev. tl a bone of the tarsus, ankle bones

tarsus n., abbrev. TS ankle, the section of the hindfoot between the metatarsus and the ankle joint

temporal fenestra n. opening in the skull in the temple area.  Generally reptiles are classified by the position and number of temporal fenestrae

ulna n. abbrev. ul the outermost bone of the foreleg/forearm

ungual adj. describes the last, outermost bone of the manual (hand - finger) or pedal (foot - toe) digit. Often forms the core of a claw

ventral adj. position of or near to or pertaining to the belly or underside of an animal.  Opposite to dorsal

“Ventral rami of the scapula” means the projecting part of the shoulder blade that is raised  toward the
belly side of the animal. So it refers to the raised parts from the scapula’s flat blade.

vertebra n., pl. vertebrae backbone, a bone of the spine - illustration

based in part on the Anatomical Dictionary by Jeff Poling.  Additional material by Barry Kazmer

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