noun
- a cast or mold of the internal cavity of a fossil skull, showing the shape and structure of the brain and other soft tissues
Usage: paleontology; technical
Examples
- Paleontologists studied the endocast of the ancient hominid to understand its brain development.
- The endocast revealed that the extinct species had a larger cerebral cortex than previously thought.
- By examining the endocast, researchers could infer the cognitive abilities of the fossil organism.
- The museum displayed an endocast alongside the actual skull fossil for comparison.
- Creating an endocast from the cranial cavity provided insights into the evolution of primate intelligence.