Glossary of Technical Terms 



Pineal body. A small ganglion in the brain; a rudiment of an optic lobe, which 



in certain lizards (and in extinct forms) is connected with a third or median 



eye. 

 Pituitary body. A small ganglion in the brain. 

 Plicate. Folded ; showing transverse folds or wrinkles. 

 Plumbeous. Lead colored; dull bluish gray. 

 Polygamous. Mating with more than i female. 

 Postclavicle. A ray composed of i or 2 bones attached to the inner upper 



surface of the clavicle and extending downward. 

 Postorbital. Behind the eye. 

 Post-temporal. The bone, in fishes, by which the shoulder girdle is suspended 



to the cranium. 

 Pra^coracoid. A portion of coracoid more or less separated from the rest. 

 Pracoracoid arch. An arch in front of the coracoid in most soft-rayed fishes. 

 Prefrontals. Bones forming lateral projections at the anterior end of the skull. 

 Premaxillaries. The bones, one on either side, forming the front of the upper 



jaw in fishes. They are usually larger than the maxillaries and commonly 



bear most of the upper teeth. 

 Premolars. The small grinders; the teeth between the canines and the true 



molars. 

 Preocular. Before the eye. 

 Preopercle. The membrane bone lying in front of the opercle and more or 



less nearly parallel with it. 

 Preorbital. The large membrane bone before the eye, in fishes. 

 Proccelian. Concave in front only. 



Procurrent (fin). With the lower rays inserted progressively farther forward. 

 Projectile. Capable of being thrust forward. 



Prootic. A bone forming an anterolateral ossification of the brain case. 

 Protractile. Capable of being drawn forward. 

 Proximal. Nearest. 

 Pseudobranchioe. Small gills developed on the inner side of the opercle, near its 



junction with the preopercle. 

 Pterotic. A bone at the posterior lateral process of the skull. 

 Pterygoids. Bones of roof of mouth in fishes, behind the palatines. 

 Pubic bones. Same as pelvic bones, q. v. 

 Pubis. Anterior lower part of pelvis. 

 Pulmonary. Pertaining to the lungs. 

 Punctate. Dotted with points. 

 Pyloric cceca. Glandular appendages in the form of blind sacs opening into the 



alimentary canal of most fishes at the pylorus, or passage from the stomach 



to the intestine. 

 Quadrate. A bone of the suspensorium on which the mandible is hinged. 



Quincunx. Set of five arranged alternately, thus * 



* * 



Radius. Outer bone of forearm. 



Ray. One of the cartilaginous rods which support the membrane of the fin of 



a fish. 

 Recurved. Curved upward. 

 Reticulate, Marked with a network of lines. 

 Retrorse. Turned backward. 

 Rudimentary. Undeveloped. 

 Rugose. Rough with wrinkles. 



Sacral. Pertaining to the sacrum, or vertebrae of the pelvic region. 

 Scapula. Shoulder blade; in fishes, the bone of the shoulder girdle below the 



post-temporal 

 Scapular arch. Shoulder girdle. 

 Scute. Any external bony or horny plate. 

 Second dorsal. The posterior or soft part of the dorsal fin, when the two parts 



are separated. 



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