Body

The body of the basisphenoid bone forms the base of the middle cranial fossa. Its dorsal surface is slightly hollowed to form the hypophysial fossa (pituitary fossa). This fossa is bounded:

• Rostrally by a bony ridge formed at the junction of the presphenoid and basisphenoid, and by the rostral clinoid process, positioned laterally on the caudal edge of the wings of the presphenoid.

• Caudally by a bony process, the dorsum sellae (absent in horses). On either side of the dorsum sellae, a caudal clinoid process projects rostrally.

This set of bony structures (rostral clinoid processes, hypophysial fossa, dorsum sellae, caudal clinoid processes) is called the sella turcica and houses the pituitary gland.