An alternative form of asterospondylic; relating to vertebrae with a radiating or star-like arrangement of elements.
From Greek aster 'star' plus spondylos 'vertebra' plus -ous suffix (alternative to -ic). Both forms are used in paleontological and ichthyological literature.
This word and asterospondylic are basically the same thing—scientists just use both versions depending on the journal or textbook. It's a reminder that scientific terminology can have multiple correct forms, which makes learning science a bit messier than most people realize!
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