THE SKULL

Dermatocranium, chondrocranium, and visceral cranium contribute to the skull.

CHONDOCRANIUM

Formation of Chondocranium (refer to figure below):

Condensations of head mesenchyme form elongated cartilages next to the notochord. The
anterior pair are the trabeculae, the posterior pair the parachordals, and in some vertebrates, a pair of
polar cartilages lies between them. Behind the parachordals, several occipital cartilages usually appear
as well. In addition to these cartilages, the sensory capsules associated with the nose, eyes, and ears
develop supporting cartilages: nasal, optic, and otic capsules, respectively. Two types of embryonic cells
differentiate to form the chondrocranium. Neural crest cells contribute to the nasal capsule, trabeculae
(possibly only the anterior part), and perhaps to part of the otic capsule. Mesenchyme of mesodermal
origin contributes to the rest of the chondrocranium. As development proceeds, these cartilages fuse.
The region between the nasal capsules formed by the fusion of the anterior tips of the trabeculae is the
ethmoid plate. The parachordals grow together across the midline to form the basal plate between the
otic capsules. The occipitals grow upward and around the nerve cord to form the occipital arch.
Collectively, all of these expanded and fused cartilages constitute the chondrocranium.

In elasmobranchs, the chondrocranium does not ossify. Instead the cartilage grows still farther
upward and over the brain to complete the protective walls and roof of the braincase. In most other
vertebrates, the chondrocranium becomes partly or entirely ossified (figure 7.3c).
SPLANCHNOCRANIUM
-arises from neural crest cells and NOT from lateral plate mesoderm, hence the term “visceral” cranium
for it is a misnomer
-associated with respiratory gill system, supports gills and offer attachment for respiratory muscles
-In protochordates, neural crest cells debut in urochordates, where they migrate from the neural tube to
the body wall, and there differentiate into pigment cells, their only currently known derivative.
However, in vertebrates they give rise to a great variety of adult structures, including to the jaws, hyoid
apparatus and gill/branchial arches.
 ▪ Origin of Jaws
-arose from one of the anterior pair of gill arches (still controversial – Jarvik proposed the
composite theory stating that rather than the “one arch-one mandible” view, there is a complex
series of losses or fusions between selective parts of several arches that came together to form
the composite mandible)
-types of jaw suspension (refer to figure below):
1. Paleostylic – no arches attaches mandibls directly to skull; in agnathans
2. Euautostylic – mandibular arch suspended from the skull by itself without help from hyoid
arch; in placoderms and acanthodians
3. Amphistylic – jaws attached to braincase through 2 primary articulations, anteriorly by a
ligament coonecting palatoquadrate to the skull and posteriorly by the hyomandibula; in early
sharks, some osteichthyans and rhipistians; modern shars exhibit variation of amphistylic jaw
suspension
4. Hyostylic – mandibular arch attached to braincase primarily through hyomandibula; in most
modern fishes
5. Metautostylic – jaws attached to braincase directly through the quadrate; hyomandibula has
no part in supporting the jaws and instead gives rise to slender columella or stapes (this is an
middle ear bone) while other elements of second and third arch contribute to hyoid apparatus
that supports tongue and floor of mouth; in most amphibians, reptiles and birds
6. Craniostylic – upper jaw incorporated into braincase, but lower jaw suspended from dermal
squamosal bone of braincase, lower jaw consists entirely of dentary bone of dermal origin,
palatoquadrate and Meckel’s cartilage still develop, but they remain cartilaginous except at their
posterior ends, w/c gives rise to incus and malleus of middle ear respectively; in mammals
.
DERMATOCRANIUM
-Phylogenetically, these bones arise from the bony armor of the integument of early fishes and sink
inward to become applied to the chondrocranium, splanchnocranium and pectoral girdle.
-Parts of dermatocranium: the dermal bone series (refer to figure below)

Reference:

Kardong KV. 2012. Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution. 6 th ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill. 794 p.