Pterygoid bone
Os pterygoideum
Definition
The pterygoid bone is a flat and thin lamina, united to the medial side of the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone, and to the perpendicular lamina of the palatine bone.
In Men and glires, it constitutes the internal wing of the pterygoid process and merges much more to the other parts in Carnivorous and Glires.
-This bone has a medial surface, smooth and covered by the pharyngeal mucosa,
-a lateral surface, free in Men and Glires to participate to the formation of the pterygoid fossa, nearly totally covered in other species by the merging to the sphenoid bone,
-a dorsal extremity , that unites to the sphenoid bone and takes part in the formation of the pterygoid canal,
-a ventral extremity, free and protruding, that has a strong prolongation bended caudally: the pterygoid hook.
The base of this hook contributes on the lateral side to delimitate a more or less deep groove (Sulcus hamuli pterygoidei).
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