Ectocranial
Ectocranial refers to the outermost surface of the cranium, the bony part of the skull that encloses the brain. It is the external aspect of the skull, as opposed to the endocranial surface, which is the internal surface. The ectocranial surface features various anatomical landmarks, such as sutures, crests, fossae, and foramina, which are important for understanding skull morphology and evolution.
These external features can vary significantly between individuals and species. For example, the prominence of muscle
The study of ectocranial morphology is crucial in fields like paleoanthropology, where it helps researchers reconstruct