Describing a vertebra or bone structure that is flattened or concave on both the anterior and posterior surfaces, particularly in certain fish and reptiles.
From 'amphi-' (both) + Greek 'platys' (flat/broad) + '-an' (adjective suffix). Developed in 19th-century comparative anatomy to classify vertebral morphologies.
Fish vertebrae look completely different from ours—some have both ends concave like a tiny saddle, allowing amazing flexibility so they can wiggle through water; scientists call these amphiplatyan because they're flat on both sides.
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