ANTH 6- Forensic Anthropology
The Cranial Skeleton: The Skull, including the Mandible, and Hyoid
Adapted from: Bass 1995; Burns 1999; Gray 1918; and White 1991

Frontal (1) (pl. frontals)
frontal squama
coronal suture
frontal boss (eminence)
temporal line (superior, inferior)
zygomatic process
superciliary arch
supraorbital margin
supraorbital notch (foramen)
metopic suture
meningeal grooves
sagittal sulcus
frontal crest
nasal spine
foramen cecum
arachnoid fovea
orbital plates
ethmoid notch
frontal sinus
lacrimal fossa

Parietal (2) (pl. parietals)
coronal suture
sagittal suture
squamosal suture
lambdoidal suture
temporal line (superior, inferior)
parietal boss (eminence)
parietal foramen
meningeal grooves
sagittal sulcus
arachnoid fovea
sigmoid sulcus

Occipital (1) (pl. occipitals)
lambdoidal suture
basilar suture
squamous portion
lateral portion
foramen magnum
occipital condyles
external occipital protuberance
superior nuchal line
inferior nuchal line
median nuchal line
pharyngeal tubercle
condylar fossa
condylar foramen (canal)
hypoglossal canal
jugular process
jugular notch
cruciform eminence
cerebral fossa
cerebellar fossa
internal occipital protuberance
occipital (sagittal) sulcus
internal occipital crest
transverse sulcus
groove for medulla oblongata

Temporal (2) (pl. temporals)
squamosal suture
squama
petrous portion (pyramid)
external auditory (acoustic) meatus
zygomatic process
suprameatal crest
supramastoid crest
tempormandibular articular surface
parietal notch
mastoid process
mastoid foramen
digastric (mastoid) groove
occipital sulcus (groove)
articular eminence
mandibular fossae (glenoid fossae)
postglenoid process
tympanic portion of temporal
styloid process
vaginal process
stylomastoid foramen
jugular fossa
carotid canal
middle meningeal grooves
internal auditory (acoustic) meatus
sigmoid sulcus

Sphenoid (1) (pl. sphenoids)
body
greater wing
lesser wing
optic foramen
sulcus for the optic nerve
superior orbital fissure
ethmoidal spine
sella turcica (tuberculum sellae)
hypophyseal (pituitary) fossa
dorsum sella (dorsum sellae)
anterior clinoid process
posterior clinoid process
[clivus]
sphenoid sinus
sphenoidal crest
[sphenoidal rostrum]
foramen rotundum
foramen ovale
foramen spinosum
lingual
carotid groove
pterygoid process
lateral pterygoid plate
medial pterygoid plate
pterygoid fossa
pterygoid hamulus
pterygoid canal

Maxilla (2) (pl. maxillae)
zygomatic process
frontal process
nasal process
alveolar process
alveoli
canine fossa
[canine jugum]
infraorbital foramen
infraorbital sulcus (groove)
orbital process
anterior nasal spine
maxillary sinus
anterior lacrimal crest
lacrimal groove
lacrimal canal
palatine process
median palatine suture
incisive foramen
incisive canal
[premaxillary suture]
greater palatine groove
nasal crest of the maxilla
conchal crest

Nasal (2) (pl. nasals)
nasal foramen
crest

Zygomatic (Malar) (2) (pl. zygomatics or malars)
frontal process
temporal process
maxillary process
zygomaticofacial foramen
masseteric origin
orbital surface
zygomaticoorbital foramen
zygomaticotemporal foramen

Mandible (1) (pl. mandibles)
body (corpus)
mental protuberance
incisive fossa
mental foramen
alveolar border
masseteric tuberosity
vertical (ascending) ramus
coronoid process
mandibular (sigmoid) notch
condylar neck
condyle
attachment for lateral pterygoideus
mental symphysis
mental spines
myohyoid line
myohyoid groove
mandibular foramen
submandibular fossa
sublingual fossa
mandibular torus
digastric fossa

Ethmoid (1) (pl. ethmoids)
cribiform plate
crista galla
lateral masses (labyrinths)
perpendicular plate

Lacrimal (2) (pl. lacrimals)
posterior lacrimal crest

Palatine (2) (pl. palatine bones)
horizontal plate
greater palatine foramen (canal)
pterygopalatine canal
posterior nasal spine
lesser palatine foramen
perpendicular plate (vertical)
pyramidal process
[conchal crest]

Vomer (1) (pl. vomers)
ala (wing)
perpendicular plate
posterior border
nasopalatine grooves

Inferior Nasal Concha (2) (pl. conchae)

Auditory Ossicles (3 per side)
incus (pl. incudes)
malleus (pl. mallei)
stapes (pl. stapeses)

Hyoid (1) (pl. hyoids)
body
greater wing (horn, also cornu)
lesser wing (horn, also cornu)

Dentition (20 deciduous, 32 permanent)
per quadrant
central incisor
lateral incisor
canine
premolar 3 (or 1)
premolar 4 (or 2)
molar 1
molar 2
molar 3
 

(courtesy Dr. Lorraine Heidecker)
Click on the thumbnails above for a larger view.  This will open a new browser window.

Questions? Comments? Corrections?? email me!