ceratobranchial
SER-uh-tuh-BRANG-kee-ul
Definition
A specific slender, rod-like bone found in the hyoid apparatus, which is the structure that supports the base of the tongue and throat tissues in many vertebrates.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'keras' (horn) and 'brankhia' (gills), as these bones originally functioned as part of the gill-supporting apparatus in ancestral vertebrate lineages.
In the news
Researchers sectioned a ceratobranchial bone from the original Nanotyrannus specimen to analyze its internal growth rings, which provided the crucial evidence needed to prove the animal was a mature adult rather than a juvenile.
For decades, paleontologists argued that a small tyrannosaur found in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation was merely a young T. rex. Then, within five weeks in late 2025, independent studies in Nature and Science showed its bones belonged to mature animals
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com