Front cover

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Front cover (red) in the skull of a perch ( Perca , Teleostei)

The Vordeckel (the Praeoperculare or Präoperculum is) a skull of bony fish (Osteichthyes), which is located between the bones of "cheek" and the bone of the operculum (Opercularserie). In more “primitive” forms, it is part of the largely rigid postorbital side wall of the skull. It carries a large part of the head's lateral line system .

In the modern bony fish ( Teleostei ), the front cover is a crescent-shaped to angular bone that forms the lower and rear edge of the cheek. Despite its designation as the "front lid", it is less about the foremost bone of the gill cover than part of the jockstrap . The rear edge of the front cover can be smooth or serrated or also have clearly formed spines or thorns ( Callionymus ; for defense). The fore cover increases the torsional stiffness of the jockstrap and, in Amia and the Teleostei, redirects the force of the gill cover lifting muscle to the lower jaw (to lower it, i.e. to open the mouth).