page_title: Sclerotic ring
hierarchical_section_title: Sclerotic ring
caption_attribution_description: English: Skull of Uroplatus phantasticus from my personal collection
context_page_description: Sclerotic rings are rings of bone found in the eyes of many animals in several groups of vertebrates, except for extant mammals and crocodilians. They can be made up of single bones or multiple segments and take their name from the sclera. They are believed to have a role in supporting the eye, especially in animals whose eyes are not spherical, or which live underwater. Fossil sclerotic rings are known for a variety of extinct animals, including ichthyosaurs, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs, but are often not preserved.
context_section_description: Sclerotic rings are rings of bone found in the eyes of many animals in several groups of vertebrates, except for extant mammals and crocodilians. They can be made up of single bones or multiple segments and take their name from the sclera. They are believed to have a role in supporting the eye, especially in animals whose eyes are not spherical, or which live underwater. Fossil sclerotic rings are known for a variety of extinct animals, including ichthyosaurs, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs, but are often not preserved.
caption: A skull of a Uroplatus (leaf-tailed gecko), showing large sclerotic rings
exif: {"Image Copyright": ""}