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The infratemporal fenestra, also called the lateral temporal fenestra or lower temporal fenestra, is the lower of the two and is exposed primarily in lateral (side) view. Temporal fenestrae in relation to the other skull openings in the dinosaur Massospondylus , a type of diapsid .
The distinctive temporal fenestra developed about 318 million years ago during the Late Carboniferous period, [1] when synapsids and sauropsids diverged, but was subsequently merged with the orbit in early mammals. The basal amniotes (reptiliomorphs) from which synapsids evolved were historically simply called "reptiles".
The name Diapsida means "two arches", and diapsids are traditionally classified based on their two ancestral skull openings (temporal fenestrae) posteriorly above and below the eye. This arrangement allows for the attachment of larger, stronger jaw muscles , and enables the jaw to open more widely.
Distinct from Paraplacodus, the skull of Cyamodus had a shorter rostrum, a smaller orbit and a larger upper temporal fenestra that was rimmed by ossifications. The teeth were flat discs, only one tooth appeared on each premaxilla and only two teeth appeared on each maxilla , with the largest teeth on the pterygoid .
The lower temporal fenestra (also known as the infratemporal fenestra) was typically a large hole on the side of the skull, although it was not completely enclosed from below in many lepidosaurs (the group of reptiles containing lizards, snakes, and the tuatara) and a few archosauromorphs (such as Prolacerta and Kadimakara). In these reptiles ...
The lateral temporal fenestra of Aerosaurus is larger than other pelycosaurs with its trademark triangular shape. No septomaxilla is evident, but the premaxilla is fragile in comparison to the large naris. The maxilla contains specimens largest teeth and is extended posterior to the center of the triangular lateral temporal fenestra.
As with other diapsids, Turfanosuchus had a pair of openings at the rear portion of the skull known as temporal fenestra. The bone separating the two holes, the squamosal, had a lower branch which curved forwards to contact the jugal and divide the lower temporal fenestra into two separate holes, leaving three holes at the back of the skull in ...
The discovery of a quadratojugal in weigeltisaurids reveals that the bone which formed the rear edge of the temporal fenestra was the squamosal bone. The squamosal of Rautiania was tall and slightly slanted backwards; it was fringed with large spines oriented outwards, as is typical for weigeltisaurids. [2]