noun
- the cartilaginous skeleton of the head and brain case in vertebrate embryos, which is later replaced by bone in most species.
Usage: technical; anatomy; embryology
Examples
- The chondrocranium forms early in vertebrate development as a protective framework for the brain.
- In fish, the chondrocranium may remain cartilaginous throughout life rather than ossifying.
- During embryonic development, the chondrocranium gradually transforms into the bony skull.
- Comparative anatomists study the chondrocranium to understand evolutionary relationships among vertebrates.
- The chondrocranium provides structural support before the skeleton fully mineralizes.