The term lateral fissure (ltf) refers to a major cleft in the lateral aspect of the cerebral hemisphere. It separates the superior temporal gyrus (STG) of the temporal lobe (TLB) from the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and precentral gyrus (PRG) of the frontal lobe (FLB) as well as the postcentral gyrus (POG) and supramarginal gyrus (SMG) of the parietal lobe (PLB). It is found in the human ( Mai-1997 Carpenter-1983 ) and the macaque ( Martin-2000 ), but not in the smooth cerebral cortex (CTX) of the rat and mouse ( NeuroNames ). In the human the ltf is divided into the stem of the lateral fissure (ltfst) rostrally, the posterior horizontal limb of the lateral fissure (ltfph), which is the central and major portion, and, at the caudal end, the terminal ascending limb of the lateral fissure (ltfta) and the terminal descending limb of the lateral fissure (ltftd). It has four side branches into the frontal lobe: the anterior horizontal limb of the lateral fissure (ltfah), the anterior ascending limb of the lateral fissure (ltfaa), and the anterior subcentral limb (itfsc). It also has one branch into the parietal lobe: the posterior subcentral limb (ltfps); and one branch into the superior temporal gyrus: the transverse temporal limb (ltftt) ( Ono-1990 ). In the macaque it is not subdivided and does not have side branches ( Martin-2000 ). Equivalent structures are not found in the smooth cerebral cortex of the rat or mouse ( NeuroNames ). Updated 27 Aug 2024.