squamosal

[skwuh-moh-suhl]

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.

noun

1. a squamosal bone.

squamosal

/ skwəˈməʊsəl /

noun

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

adjective

1. of or relating to this bone

2. a less common word for squamous

Other Word Forms

• supersquamosal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of squamosal¹

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

Example Sentences

"The lambeosaurine supraoccipital has well-developed squamosal bosses and a short sutural surface with the exoccipital-opisthotic complex, and is similar to lambeosaurine supraoccipitals from the Dinosaur Park Formation in having anteriorly positioned squamosal bosses," the study's abstract reads.

From Fox News

Given that the squamosal bones of horned dinosaurs did not have much meat or other fleshy resources to offer, though, Hone and coauthors suggest that the bite marks represent scavenging when most of the rest of the young ceratopsid’s body was already picked over.

From Scientific American

Compared to the stunning skeletons that have come from this place, the broken frill bone - part of a squamosal - might not look like very much.

From Scientific American

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

The squamosal enters considerably into the formation of the temporal fossa, and, besides sending the zygomatic process forwards, it sends down behind the meatus auditorius a post-tympanic process which aids to hold in place the otherwise loose tympano-periotic bone.

From Project Gutenberg