Glossary

labial

for incisors and canines, a relative term referring to the part of the tooth that is closer to the front of the mouth or lips; the opposite of lingual.

Lamarckism

the inheritance of acquired characters.

lambdoid

cranial suture that articulates between the parietals and occipital bones in the cranium.

last lumbar

counting from the top, the last per-sacral vertebra forming the lower-back.

last thoracic

counting from the top, the last vertebra in the mid-back region.

late childhood

considered to be between the ages of 6 and 12 years.

lateral

a relative term used to describe features that are farther from the midline or center of the body; the opposite of medial.

lateral cuneiform

second-most lateral tarsal bone located on the distal row.

lesser apes

the gibbon and siamang.

life expectancy

the average age an organism is expected to live.

life history

what an organism goes through and its developments from conception until death.

lineage

the descendants or ancestors of an individual or family.

lingual

a relative term referring to the part of the tooth that is closer to the tongue; the opposite of buccal and labial.

locomotion

movement to or from a place by an organism. Forms of locomotion include bipedalism, knuckle walking, brachiation, swimming, flying, etc.

lumbar

the section of the back between the thorax and the pelvis.

lumbar curvature

the anteriorly convex curvature of the spine in the region of the lumbar vertebrae; helps to distribute the weight of the upper body more efficiently and brings the center of gravity closer to the midline and above the feet.

lumbar vertebrae

refers to the vertebrae that are located between the thoracic vertebrae and the sacrum.

lunate

the second bone in the proximal row of the wrist; crescent shaped.