squamosal

American  

[skwuh-moh-suhl] / skwəˈmoʊ səl /

adjective

1. Anatomy. of or relating to the thin, scalelike portion of the temporal bone that is situated on the side of the skull above and behind the ear.

2. Zoology. pertaining to a corresponding bone in other vertebrates.

3. squamous.

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noun

1. a squamosal bone.

squamosal British  

/ skwəˈməʊsəl /

noun

1. a thin platelike paired bone in the skull of vertebrates: in mammals it forms part of the temporal bone

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adjective

1. of or relating to this bone

2. a less common word for squamous

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• supersquamosal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of squamosal

1840–50; < Latin squāmōs ( us ) squamous + -al ¹

Example Sentences

In mammals, the dentary bone joins the skull at the squamosal bone, while in other vertebrates, the quadrate bone of the jaw joins with the articular bone of the skull.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

It has especially prominent squamosal horns, an especially rugose-looking integument, and a neat, mottled pattern that involves black blotches on a greenish or yellowish ground colour.

From Scientific American • Feb. 22, 2014

In addition the zygomatic ridge of the squamosal decreases in relative size with decrease in actual size of the skull.

From Speciation of the Wandering Shrew by Findley, James S.

And between the hindermost and the squamosal there is an intervening bar of bone, unknown among mammalia, which moves upon the skull by a joint, just as the lower jaw moves upon it.

From Dragons of the Air An Account of Extinct Flying Reptiles by Seeley, H. G.

Squamosal breadth.—The greatest distance between the mastoidal processes of the squamosal.

From Geographic Variation in the Pocket Gopher, Thomys bottae, in Colorado by Youngman, Phillip M.