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.

Mar 18, 2019 · Within Diapsida, the katapsid skull is most common for lizards, illustrated for Tubinambis. (10) There is a hypothesis that the katapsid skull evolved by the development of a unique lateral jaw adductor muscle, which secondarily suppresses the lower temporal arcade (Rieppel and Gronowski, 1981).

A diapsid is a reptile with two fenestrae (holes) behind the eye on each side of its skull. Most reptiles are diapsids, and the condition does not occur in mammals. The function of the holes is to improve jaw movements, and to reduce the weight of the skull.

Compared to those of mammals, the skulls of many extant and extinct diapsids comprise an open framework of fenestrae (window-like openings) separated by bony struts (e.g., lizards, tuatara, dinosaurs and crocodiles), a cranial form thought to be strongly linked to feeding forces.

Diapsids possess two pairs of temporal fenestrae, allowing for powerful jaw muscle attachment, while Synapsids feature a single pair of these openings associated with the jaw joint.

Diapsids are characterized by having two fenestrae (bony openings) bridged over by arches in the temporal region of the skull. These arches and fenestrae have become secondarily lost in modern turtles and substantially modified in modern lizards, snakes, and birds.

Aug 31, 2023 · Diapsid refers to a group of reptiles characterized by having two specific openings in their skulls. This group includes many modern reptiles like lizards and snakes, as well as birds. Think of it as a unique design feature in the skulls of a vast family of animals. The Diapsid Skull: Temporal Fenestrae

Mar 27, 2024 · Diapsids possess two holes behind each eye socket for muscle attachment, aiding in jaw movement, whereas synapsids have one, influencing their skull structure and evolution.

Homologies of muscles of the m. longissimus and m. iliocostalis groups in the dorsal and cervical regions, as well as those of the subvertebral muscles and mm. intercostales externi that continue from the dorsal into the cervical regions, in extant Diapsida are …

Jan 6, 2010 · Here, we present a novel approach for predicting the forces and activation patterns of muscles and muscle groups based on their known anatomical orientation (line of action). The work was carried out for the lizard-like reptile Sphenodon (Rhynchocephalia) using a sophisticated computer-based model and multi-body dynamics analysis.