Rostral bone

The Rostralknochen ( rostral ) is a group of dinosaurs existing at the ceratopsians bone at the tip of the upper jaw. It is an unpaired, lying in front of the premaxillary bones and perhaps represents the most conspicuous synapomorphy of Ceratopsia

In particular, in the more developed Neoceratopsia the Rostralknochen is keeled and pointed forward and forms the counterpart to the existing in all bird Beck dinosaurs, before the Dental located in the lower jaw Praedentale. The hook-shaped Rostralknochen reached beyond which also pointed Praedentale, thus ensuring the typical parrot beak -like snout ( rostrum ) of these animals. This tall, narrow beak differed from the round, wide beaks of most other bird Beck dinosaurs and allowed a very selective food intake.

The Rostralknochen the Ceratopsia is not to be confused with his trunk bone (os rostral ) of the pigs and the as rostral designated rostral ( Scutum rostral ) to the top of the snake snout and the small mosaic bone in its mouth regions of the fish ( also: Rostralserie ).