procoelousadj.
/prəʊˈsiːləs/, U.S. /proʊˈsiləs/ Zoology.
Designating or relating to vertebrae whose centra are concave anteriorly. Also: (of a reptile) having such vertebrae, as a crocodile. Cf. amphicœlous adj., opisthocoelous adj.
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the world > life > the body > structural parts > bone or bones > spine > [adjective] > vertebra of > types of
procoelian1842
opisthocoelian1854
platycoelian1854
procoelous1862
anticlinal1870
opisthocoelous1872
monospondylic1884
1862 T. H. Huxley in Q. Jrnl. Geol. Soc. 18 p. liii The more modern members [of the Crocodilia and Lacertilia]..have them [sc. the vertebrae] procœlous.
1873 St. G. Mivart Lessons Elem. Anat. ii. 39 The ball may be post-axial in each vertebral body, a structure termed procœlous, and found..in existing crocodiles.
1961 J. Stubblefield Davies's Introd. Palaeontol. (ed. 3) vi. 153 In the higher reptiles the [amphicoelous] form changes, either to procoelous (concave in front, protuberant behind) as in Crocodiles, or opisthocoelous (reverse of procoelous).
1993 Ameghiniana 30 215 The occurrence of both amphicoelous and procoelous sauropods is reported in the Early Cretaceous of Europe.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1862