noun
- Plural of chondrocranium; the cartilaginous skeleton of the head and brain case in vertebrates, especially in embryonic or larval stages.
Usage: technical; biology; anatomy
Examples
- The chondrocraniums of fish larvae develop before ossification occurs.
- Comparative anatomists study chondrocraniums to understand vertebrate evolution.
- During embryonic development, the chondrocranium forms the initial framework for the skull.
- Sharks and rays retain chondrocraniums throughout their entire lives.
- The chondrocraniums of different species show variations in structure and size.