Fig. 21. P in Phylogenetic Systematics of North American Pseudaelurus (Carnivora: Felidae)

Fig. 21. P. validus (F:AM 61835), dorsal oblique view of cranium, stereo pair. Anterior is to the top. View is anterolateral, from the left side, through the opening in the left parietal bone. On the right side of the floor of the cranial cavity can be seen three separate grooves for the three branches of the trigeminal nerve (optic via sphenorbital fissure (sf), maxillary via foramen rotundum (fr), and mandibular via foramen ovale (fo)), which exit the braincase via separate foramina. The broken edge of the osseous tentorium (ten), separating the middle and posterior cranial fossae, can be seen. On the lateral wall of the cranial cavity, lateral and dorsal to the foramina, distinct impressions for cerebral convolutions can be seen. The left zygomatic arch (zygo) is labeled.