Skeletal system quiz
Skull Quiz – Lateral View
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The skull consists of 22 bones connected to one another via immobile joints called sutures. On the lateral view of the skull, going anterior to posterior, the following bones are observed: frontal bone, maxilla, mandible, zygomatic, sphenoid, temporal, parietal and occipital bones.
| Key structures on the lateral view of the skull | |
|---|---|
| Bones | Frontal bone, maxilla, mandible, zygomatic, sphenoid, temporal, parietal, and occipital bones. |
| Sutures | Frontozygomatic suture: frontal bone + zygomatic bone Sphenofrontal suture: frontal bone + greater wing of the sphenoid bone Coronal suture: frontal bone + parietal bone Lambdoid suture: frontal bone + occipital bone Squamous suture: temporal bone + parietal bone Sphenosquamosal suture: temporal bone + greater wing of the sphenoid bone Occipitomastoid suture: temporal bone + occipital bone |
| Other markings | External acoustic meatus, mastoid process, pterion |
On this view, it is visible that the frontal bone articulates with:
- Zygomatic bone, via the frontozygomatic suture
- The greater wing of the sphenoid bone, via the sphenofrontal suture
- Parietal bone, via the coronal suture
- Occipital bone, via the lambdoid suture
Bones and their markings seen on the lateral surface of the skull.
The temporal bone features the following articulations:
- The zygomatic process of the temporal bone articulates with the zygomatic bone and forms the zygomatic arch.
- The squama of the temporal bone joins with the parietal bone via the squamous suture
- The squama also articulates with the greater wing of the sphenoid bone via the sphenosquamosal suture
- The mastoid part of the bone articulates with the occipital bone via the occipitomastoid suture
Other major landmarks of the skull on this view include the external acoustic meatus, a part of the temporal bone that constitutes the ear canal, and styloid process. The mastoid process of the temporal bone is also visible, as well as the pterion, which is the intersection of the frontal, sphenoid, parietal and temporal bones.
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Lateral view of the skull bones (skull lateral markings quiz)
This 3-part quiz tests your knowledge of the bones and the anatomical markings of the skull from a lateral view.
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