foramen

A patent foramen ovale - or PFO - which is a small hole between the top two chambers of the heart.

From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2025

It had a prominent pineal foramen -- a hole in the top of its head that many lizard species use to sense sunlight and judge the length of daylight hours.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 29, 2023

The shape of the opening at the base of its skull—the foramen magnum—suggested Sahelanthropus balanced its head on top of a vertical neck, similar to upright walkers such as today’s humans.

From Science Magazine ● Aug. 24, 2022

Located near the midpoint of the supraorbital margin is a small opening called the supraorbital foramen.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

The basisphenoid, which is fused with the parasphenoid, also forms a small part of the posteroventral margin of the optic foramen.

From A Revision of Snakes of the Genus Conophis (Family Colubridae, from Middle America) by John Wellman

Lizards and iguanas, however, sport a single row of large holes above their teeth, called foramina, where blood vessels and nerves pass through.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 29, 2023

Openings here include the large foramen magnum, plus the internal acoustic meatus, jugular foramina, and hypoglossal canals.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

Blood vessels and nerves enter the bone through the nutrient foramina to nourish and innervate bones.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

These veins arise from the base of the brain and the cervical region of the spinal cord, and flow largely through the intervertebral foramina in the cervical vertebrae.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

G. tropicalis resembles personatus in half of the characters considered, notably in shape of the interparietal bone, outline of zygomatic arches, and constriction of the premaxillae where they border the incisive foramina.

From The Recent Mammals of Tamaulipas, Mexico by Ticul Alvarez