noun
- Plural of premaxilla; the paired bones in the front of the upper jaw in vertebrates, located anterior to the maxilla.
Usage: anatomy; zoology; technical
Examples
- The premaxillas form the anterior portion of the upper jaw in fish and amphibians.
- In mammals, the premaxillas bear the incisor teeth.
- Comparative anatomists study the premaxillas to understand evolutionary relationships among vertebrates.
- The premaxillas are fused with the maxillae in some species.
- Paleontologists examine fossil premaxillas to identify extinct species.