Cranial sutures are an essential part of the growing skull, allowing bones to increase in size during growth, with their morphology widely believed to be dictated by the forces and displacements that they experience. The zygomaticotemporal suture in primates is located in the relatively weak zygomatic arch, and externally it appears a very simple connection. However, large forces are almost certainly transmitted across this suture, suggesting that it requires some level of stability while also allowing controlled movements under high loading. Here we examine the 2- and 3-dimensional (3D) morphology of the zygomaticotemporal suture in an ontogenetic series of Macaca fascicularis skulls. High resolution microcomputed tomography data sets were examined, and virtual and physical 3D replicas were created to assess both structure and general stability. The zygomaticotemporal suture is much more complex than its external appearance suggests, with interlocking facets between the adjacent zygomatic and temporal bones. It appears as if some movement is permitted across the suture in younger animals, but as they approach adulthood the complexity of the suture's interlocking bone facets reaches a level where these movements become minimal.

Keywords:
Zygomaticotemporal suture, Zygomatic arch, Skull, Macaca, Microcomputed tomography, Suture morphology
1.
Byron CD, Borke J, Yu J, Pashley D, Wingard CJ, Hamrick M (2004). Effects of increased muscle mass on mouse sagittal suture morphology and mechanics. The Anatomical Record 279: 676-684.
2.
Cohen MM (2000). Sutural biology, chapter 2. In Craniosynostosis (Cohen MM, Mclean RE, eds.). Oxford, University Press.
3.
Curtis N, Witzel U, Fitton L, O'Higgins P, Fagan MJ (2011). The mechanical significance of the temporal fasciae in Macaca fascicularis: an investigation using finite element analysis. The Anatomical Record 294: 1178-1190.
4.
Eisenberg NA, Brodie AG (1965). Antagonism of temporal fascia to masseteric contraction. The Anatomical Record 152: 185-192.
5.
Herring SW (1972). Sutures - a tool in functional cranial analysis. Acta Anatomica 83: 222-247.
6.
Herring SW, Mucci RJ (1991). In vivo strain in cranial sutures: the zygomatic arch. Journal of Morphology 207: 225-239.
7.
Jaslow CR (1990). Mechanical properties of cranial sutures. Journal of Biomechanics 23: 313-321.
8.
Jones MEH, Curtis N, Fagan MJ, O'Higgins P, Evans SE (2011). Hard tissue anatomy of the cranial joints in Sphenodon (Rhynchocephalia): sutures, kinesis, and skull mechanics. Palaeontologia Electronica 14: 17A.
9.
Koskinen L, Isotupa K, Kosko K (1975). A note on craniofacial suture growth. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 45: 511-516.
10.
Kupczik K, Dobson CA, Fagan MJ, Crompton RH, Oxnard CE, O'Higgins P (2007). Assessing mechanical function of the zygomatic region in macaques: validation and sensitivity testing of finite element models. Journal of Anatomy 210: 41-53.
11.
Preuschoft H, Witzel U (2002). Biomechanical investigations on the skulls of reptiles and mammals. Senckenbergiana Lethaea 82: 207-222.
12.
Preuschoft H, Witzel U (2004). A biomechanical approach to craniofacial shape in primates, using FESA. Annals of Anatomy 186: 397-404.
13.
Pritchard JJ, Scott JH, Girgis FG (1956). The structure and development of cranial and facial sutures. Journal of Anatomy 90: 73-86.
14.
Rafferty KL, Herring SW (1999). Craniofacial sutures: morphology, growth, and in vivo masticatory strains. Journal of Morphology 242: 167-179.
15.
Rodriguez-Vegas JM, Casado Pérez C (2004). Inexpensive custom-made external splint for isolated closed zygomatic arch fractures. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 113: 1517-1518.
16.
Ross CF, Berthaume MA, Dechow PC, Iriarte-Diaz J, Porro LB, Richmond BG, Spencer MA, Strait DS (2011). In vivo bone strain and finite-element modelling of the craniofacial haft in catarrhine primates. Journal of Anatomy 218: 112-141.
17.
Smith BH, Crummett TL, Kari LB (1994). Ages of eruption of primate teeth: a compendium for aging individuals and comparing life histories. Americal Journal of Physical Anthropology 37: 177-231.
18.
Smith K, Beighton D (1986). The effects of the availability of diet on the levels of exoglycosidases in the supragingival plaque of macaque monkeys. Journal of Dental Research 65: 1349-1352.
19.
Smith K, Beighton D (1987). Proteolytic activities in the supragingival plaque of monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Archives of Oral Biology 32: 473-476.
20.
Sun Z, Lee E, Herring SW (2004). Cranial sutures and bones: growth and fusion in relation to masticatory strain. The Anatomical Record 276A: 150-161.
21.
Wang Q, Wood SA, Grosse IR, et al. (2012). The role of the sutures in biomechanical dynamic simulation of a macaque cranial finite element model: implications for the evolution of craniofacial form. The Anatomical Record 295: 278-288.
22.
Witzel U, Preuschoft H, Sick H (2004). The role of the zygomatic arch in the statics of the skull and its adaptive shape. Folia Primatologica 75: 202-218.
© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
2014
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.