FIG. 31. Thylacinus cynocephalus NMB c.2526 in Transverse Canal Foramen And Pericarotid Venous Network In Metatheria And Other Mammals

FIG. 31. Thylacinus cynocephalus NMB c.2526 (Thylacinidae, Dasyuromorphia), adult caudal cranium, selected coronal segments in rostrocaudal order (data source, table 2). In A and B, apart from endocranial apertures of carotid canals, there are no additional openings in endocranial floor and no evidence of transverse canal junction rostral to hypophyseal fossa. These facts are consistent with rostral branch of transverse canal vein being absent, and caudal branch sharing foramen with internal carotid neurovascular bundle. In C–F, two carotid and two transverse canals briefly coalesce to form composite space (asterisk). Whether this coalescence occurs in other thylacine skulls is likely but poorly documented. Key: AS, alisphenoid; astp, tympanic process of alisphenoid; bcf, basicapsular fenestra; BS, basisphenoid; cc, carotid canal; co, cochlea; cspf, craniospinal foramen; ctbs, caudal portion of transverse basisphenoid sinus; encf, endocranial carotid foramen; EO, exoccipital; evpf, foramen for extra-