Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton
Published on: May 7, 2016
Pterygospinous bar and foramina in Indian skulls: incidence and phylogenetic significance
Soubhagya R Nayak1, Vasudha Saralaya, Latha V Prabhu
1Department of Anatomy, Centre for Basic Sciences, Kasturba Medical College, Bejai, Mangalore, 575004, Karnataka, India. ranjanbhatana@gmail.com
Abstract:
Incomplete or complete ossification of the pterygospinous ligament is uncommon. Entrapment of mandibular nerve and its branches was reported due to this anatomical variation, when found. The aim of the present study is to investigate the incidence of the pterygospinous bony bridges in Indian dry skulls. A total of 416 adult dry skulls of Indian origin were studied. In 9.61% of the samples the pterygospinous bony bars were found, out of which 5.76% was complete and 3.84% was incomplete. Such variations are of clinical significance while dealing with mandibular nerve and its branches and various clinical symptoms related to it.
Related Concept Videos
Cranial Bones: Lateral View
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...
Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
Sutures of the Skull
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
Overview of the Skull
The cranial vault surrounds and protects the brain and houses the middle and inner ear structures. This cavity is bounded superiorly by the rounded top of the skull, which...
Bone Markings
Articulating Projections
Articulating projections are found where two bones meet to form a joint. These structures are usually found at the ends of bones. The largest articulation is a rounded projection called the head, supported by a narrow neck at the ends of...
Overview of the Axial Skeleton
The axial skeleton of the adult...

