A small bone or cartilage element in the skull, typically found in reptiles, positioned near the pterygoid bone.
From Greek 'epi' (upon) + 'pterygoid' (wing-shaped bone). A paleontological and herpetological term describing this specific cranial element.
In a snake's or lizard's skull, the epipterygoid is a tiny but crucial bone—removing it would completely change how their jaw works!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.