Secondary palate

Secondary palate
A sagittal section of a pig's (Sus sp.) snout showing the secondary palate with pronounced palatine raphe.
Details
Identifiers
LatinPalatum secundarium,
palatum definitivum
TEpalate_by_E5.4.1.1.4.0.5 E5.4.1.1.4.0.5
Anatomical terminology

The secondary palate is an anatomical structure that divides the nasal cavity from the oral cavity in many vertebrates.

In human embryology, it refers to that portion of the hard palate that is formed by the growth of the two palatine shelves medially and their mutual fusion in the midline. It forms the majority of the adult palate and meets the primary palate at the incisive foramen.