tympanic bone

noun

, Anatomy, Zoology.

(in mammals) a bone of the skull, supporting the tympanic membrane and enclosing part of the tympanum or middle ear.

tympanic bone

the part of the temporal bone in the mammalian skull that surrounds the auditory canal

First recorded in 1840–50

The tympanic bone remains permanently distinct, and the anterior boundary of the tympanic cavity is formed by the alisphenoid.

Tympanic bone not welded with the periotic, which is usually only attached to the rest of the skull by ligament.

The tympanic bone is preserved on the right side, though wanting on the left.

In all the other genera of Dasypodinae the tympanic bone is a mere half-ring, loosely attached to the cranium.

April 24, 2024gallimaufry

[gal-uh-maw-free ]

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