Structures of the skull

mandibular fossa of temporal bone

articulates with condylar process of lower jaw; sits between zygomatic process & EAM; "little shallow depression"

styloid process of temporal bone

attachment site for muscles and ligaments involved in movements of lower jaw; very small, looks like little horns; VERY CLOSE TO, AND LOOKS LIKE MASTOID PROCESS - BE CAREFUL

occipital bone

back of head & base of skull; contains occipital condyles & foramen magnum; very big bone

coronal suture

between frontal and parietal bones, "behind the forehead"

lambdoidal suture

between occipital and parietal bones, back of head

Squamosal suture

between temporal and parietal bones, "squishy behind the ears"

greater and lesser wings of sphenoid bone

branches out; form optic canal for lots of foramen and nerves to pass through

ethmoid bone

deepest skull bone, separates nasal cavity from brain; "looks like batman"; contains olfactory formanina, cribriform plate, crista galli & perpendicular plate.

sagittal suture

divides the parietal bones, the "middle part" of the skull

external auditory meatus of temporal bone

external ear opening; hole on side of temporal bone where your ear sits

occipital condyles of occipital bone

for articulation with first cervical vertebrae; notches right above foramen magnum

crista galli of ethmoid bone

for membrane attachment that covers the brain; lies in medial part of ethmoid bone

foramen ovale of sphenoid bone

for passage of a branch of trigeminal nerve; oval-shaped, rather large hole; near lower part of great wing, beneath foramen rotundum

foramen lacerum of sphenoid bone

for passage of internal carotid artery; rather large hole on the lateral sides of the sella turcica

foramen spinosum of sphenoid bone

for passage of meningeal vessels; very small hole just posterior & slightly lateral to foramen ovale

foramen rotundum of sphenoid bone

for passage of one branch of trigeminal nerve (V); little holes near Voldemort's nostrils

optic foramen of sphenoid bone

for passage of optic nerve (cranial nerve II); little holes anterior to, and slightly lateral of, sella turcica; "butterfly eyes"

foramen magnum of occipital bone

for passage of spinal cord; big ass hole in the bottom of head

frontal bone

forehead; part of eye sockets

temporal bones (2)

form the sides & part of base of skull; sits under temples; contains zygomatic process, mastoid process, styloid process, external auditory meatus, mandibular fossa, carotid foramen & jugular foramen

Eight cranial bones

frontal bone, parietal bones (2), occipital bone, sphenoid bone, temporal bones (2), ethmoid bone

sella turcica of sphenoid bone

houses the pituitary gland; sits in the middle of the wings

zygomatic process of temporal bone

little weird looking bone that sticks out of the side of the temporal bone; articulates with zygomatic bone

sphenoid bone

middle of skull, towards the front situated in front of temporal bones; looks like butterfly; contains greater and lesser wings, sella turcica, optic foramen, foramen rotundum, foramen ovale, foramen lacerum & foramen spinosum

perpendicular plate of ethmoid bone

part of the nasal septum between nasal cavities; inferior to crista galli, but looks VERY similar

jugular foramen of temporal bone

passage for jugular vein; found between temporal and occipital bones

superior orbital fissure of sphenoid bone

passage of nerves for eye muscles; little slits near the superior end of the sphenoid bone & superior portion of orbital cavity; "Voldemort's nostrils"

olfactory foramina of ethmoid bone

passage of olfactory nerves (connects brain to mucous membrane of nose; found in bone between frontal & sphenoid bones, small holes in ethmoid bone

carotid foramen (carotid canal) of temporal bone

passage of the carotid artery; above jugular foramen & next to occipital condyle

mastoid process of temporal bone

point of attachment for neck muscles; little bone that pokes out behind where the earlobe sits, pokes outside of temporal bone; "little mountain"

cribriform plate of ethmoid bone

roof of nasal cavity (with foramina); "holey-plate" that lies on the lateral sides of the crista galli

four sutures of the skull

sagittal, squamosal, lambdoidal & coronal

parietal bones (2)

sides and top of skull; on top of temporal bones; connect to frontal and occipital bones