Developmental Changes in Morphology of the Middle and Posterior External Cranial Base in Modern Homo sapiens

Table 2

(a) Definitions of occipital bone landmarks used in the present study. Refer also to Figure 1. (b) Definitions of temporal bone landmarks used in the present study. Refer also to Figure 1. (c) Definitions of sphenoid landmarks used in the present study. Refer also to Figure 1.

(a)

Occipital
1	Most anterior point on the basioccipital in the midline (sphenobasion, on the occipital if not connected)
2	Most lateral point on the basioccipital
3	Basion (anterior most point on the foramen magnum)
4	Most anterior point on the occipital condyle along the margin of the foramen magnum
5	Most anterior point on occipital condyle
6	Most lateral point on the occipital condyle (point on the middle of the lateral edge of the condyle)
7	Most posterolateral point on the occipital condyle
8	Most posterior point on the occipital condyle along the margin of the foramen magnum
9	Mid-point of the occipital condyle (inferior aspect)
10	Opisthion (posterior most point on the foramen magnum)
11	Mid-point on the median nuchal line between the external occipital protuberance and foramen magnum
12	Anteromedial point on the hypoglossal canal
13	Asterion (temporal, occipital, and parietal meet)

Landmarks are repeated with regard to the overlapping cranial regions.

(b)

Temporal
13	Asterion (where temporal, occipital, and parietal meet)
14	Parietal notch (not depicted)
15	Mastoidale (center of the inferior point on the mastoid process)
16	Most lateral point on the margin of the stylomastoid foramen
17	Most lateral point on the vagina of the styloid process (whether process is present or absent)
18	Most posterolateral point on the jugular fossa
19	Most posterolateral point on the margin of the carotid canal entrance
20	Point on anterior margin of tympanic element that is closest to carotid canal
21	Most posterolateral point on the external acoustic meatus
22	Most inferior point on the external acoustic meatus
23	Point on lateral margin of zygomatic process of the temporal bone at the position of the postglenoid process
24	Point of inflection where the braincase curves laterally into the supraglenoid gutter, in coronal plane of mandibular fossa (not depicted)
25	Point on the anterior of the lateral margin of the articular surface of the articular eminence
26	Most inferior point on the postglenoid process
27	Deepest point within the mandibular fossa (instrumentally determined)
28	Mid-point of the articular eminence
29	Most anterior point on the articular surface of the articular eminence
30	Auriculare (most lateral point on the temporal)
31	Suture between temporal and zygomatic bones on inferior aspect of zygomatic process
32	Most inferior point at the sphenotemporal suture closer to the midline (on the sphenoid if disconnected)
33	Most lateral point on the greater wing of the sphenoid (intersection between sphenoid, temporal, and parietal bone) (not depicted)
34	Most frontolateral point on the greater wing of the sphenoid (intersection between sphenoid, temporal, and frontal bone) (not depicted)
36	Most posterior, inferior point on the sphenotemporal suture
37	Apex of the petrous part of the temporal bone

Landmarks are repeated with regard to the overlapping cranial regions.

(c)

Sphenoid
33	Most lateral point on the greater wing of the sphenoid (intersection between sphenoid, temporal, and parietal bone) (not depicted)
35	Most anterior inferior point on the sphenozygomatic suture (sphenozygomatic) (not depicted)
36	Most posterior, inferior point on the sphenotemporal suture
38	Most lateral point of the foramen spinosum
39	Most lateral point on the margin of foramen ovale
40	Most anterolateral point of the lateral pterygoid plate
41	Most inferior part of the pterygoid hamulus (not depicted)
42	The most anteromedial point of the sphenoidal region on the sphenovomer suture
43	Most posterior point where the vomer meets the medial pterygoid plate
44	Point on the sphenoid in the midline in contact with the vomer (vomer notch)
1	Most anterior point on the basioccipital in the midline (sphenobasion, on the occipital if not connected)
2	Most lateral point on the basioccipital

Landmarks are repeated with regard to the overlapping cranial regions.