116 UPPER CRETACEOUS TELEOSTS 
The exoccipital bones meet in the mid-line of the posterior face of the neuro- 
cranium below the foramen magnum and just contact each other above it, com- 
pletely enclosing the foramen magnum. Ventrally each exoccipital contributes 
towards the composition of the occipital condyle, and laterally forms part of the 
cranial wall, contacting the intercalar, the pterotic and the prootic. The foramen 
through which the vagus nerve passed is a prominent hole on the lateral face of the 
neurocranium in front of the condyle. Between the vagus foramen and the occipital 
condyle two or three small foramina transmitted the occipital nerves to the anterior 
region of the vertebral column. Anterior to the vagus foramen on the lateral wall of 
the cranial cavity a further small foramen is present, which transmitted the glosso- 
pharyngeal nerve. Dorsally the exoccipital takes part in the formation of a large 
concave depression together with the prootic and the pterotic ; this depression 
housed musculature associated with the branchial apparatus. On the posterior face 
of the neurocranium thickenings of the exoccipital pass laterally to the intercalar 
and dorso-laterally towards the epiotic. 
The pterotic forms almost the entire hyomandibular facet which is an elongate 
groove on the ventro-lateral surface of the bone. The facet itself is horizontal with 
the posterior region rising very slightly. Above the hyomandibular facet the 
dilatator fossa is visible in lateral aspect, its posterior border formed by the pterotic. 
On the posterior face of the neurocranium a post-temporal fossa is. also present 
and the pterotic forms the lateral parts of the roof, wall and floor of this fossa. 
The remainder of the roof is composed medially of frontal and parietal with a 
minute portion of epiotic at the extreme posterior end. The post-temporal fossa 
is not particularly prominent and is only visible in posterior view. 
The sphenotic forms the postero-dorsal orbital region, the most anterior region of 
the elongated hyomandibular facet and the anterior border of the dilatator fossa. 
The dorsal part of the sphenotic projects laterally and from the underside of this 
projection a strut extends ventro-medially to contact a corresponding strut passing 
dorso-laterally from the prootic, the dorso-lateral strut of the prootic being a direct 
Fic. 52. Eurypholis pulchellus (Woodward). Neurocranium in posterior view. 
From B.M.N.H. number P.10984. 
