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Boyer diss 2009 1046..

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existence and/or nature of contacts with the palatine, orbitosphenoid, alisphenoid, and<br />

parietal difficult to assess. The only dimension that can be meaningfully measured is the<br />

anteroposterior length of this element: along the metopic suture, the frontal measures<br />

11.23 mm (Fig. 2.1: 12). The anteriormost region of parietal contact is visible where the<br />

parietal on-lapped the frontal and left an impression (Fig. 2.1: 13). The right frontal is<br />

well-enough preserved to exhibit a distinct ridge that runs from the anterolateral part of<br />

the bone, where it contacts the lacrimal, medially towards the metopic suture, meeting<br />

this suture at the posterior end of the bone, where it contacts the parietal (Fig. 2.1: 14).<br />

This ridge, with its mirror on the opposite side, would have formed a distinct frontal<br />

“trigon.” There is no sign of postorbital processes on these bones. HRxCT data reveal<br />

the frontal as a thin plate of bone anteriorly, and it shows that the bone thickens<br />

posteriorly and is densely trabeculated. No diploic cavities are identifiable. No ethmoid<br />

foramina are preserved.<br />

Palatine.—The palatines are completely obscured and crushed, such that not even<br />

examination of HRxCT data illuminates their morphology.<br />

Parietal.—The parietals are only slightly better preserved than the palatines,<br />

represented as a flat piece of bone visible on the ventral side of the skull (Fig. 2.2). Some<br />

discernable details of its sutural relationships to the frontal were described above.<br />

Squamosal.—The right zygomatic process of the squamosal is preserved (Figs.<br />

2.1, 2: 15). The glenoid fossa is intact as well (Figs. 2.1, 2: 16), although it is mainly<br />

obscured by other bone and matrix. The neurocranial portion of the squamosal is not<br />

recognizably preserved. No sutural contacts are preserved. The HRxCT image of the<br />

glenoid fossa and zygomatic process was digitally extracted (Fig. 2.2D, E). This image<br />

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