The alligator and its alliesReese, A. M. (Albert Moore)
Science
The alligator and its allies
Reese, A. M. (Albert Moore)
Alligators
The _ischium_ (2) is a slightly arched bone, its ventral end a
flattened blade articulating with its fellow, its dorsal end enlarged
and thickened to articulate with the ilium, pubis, and epipubis. This
dorsal end, which forms the ventral side of the acetabulum, is divided
into two distinct articular surfaces by a deep, rounded notch; the
posterior and larger surface articulates with the ilium, the anterior
surface about equally with the pubis and epipubis.
The _pubis_ (3), which is much the smallest element of the pelvis, is a
small mass of cartilage lying between the ilium above and the ischium
below. It forms a small part of the anterior wall of the acetabulum.
The _epipubis_ (4) is a slightly arched bone, somewhat enlarged at its
proximal end where it unites with the ischium, and flattened out into
a fan-shaped extremity, where it is united with its fellow and with
the last pair of abdominal ribs by the broad, thin sheet of cartilage
or fibrous tissue noted in connection with the abdominal ribs. As
mentioned above, it is called by Wiedersheim and others the pubis. Near
the center of the acetabulum there is a small foramen.
The _posterior limb_ (Fig. 29) consists of the usual divisions--thigh,
shin, and foot. The _femur_ (f) is a bone of the same general outline
as the humerus, though slightly longer and heavier. The head, for
articulation with the acetabulum, is rather hemi-elliptical than
hemispherical in shape, the long axis of the ellipse being vertical.
The distal enlargement is of at least as great, if not greater, bulk
than the proximal and shows some indication of a division into two
articular surfaces. The ventral side of the femur near the proximal end
shows a fairly distinct trochantal ridge.
The shin or crus is made up of two well-developed bones, the
_tibia_ (t) and _fibula_ (fb), the former being somewhat longer and
considerably thicker than the latter.
[Illustration: FIG. 29. POSTERIOR LIMB.
_ca_, calcaneum or fibulare; _cl_, claw; _f_, femur; _fb_, fibula;
_t_, tibia; _t³_, _t⁴⁻⁵_, tarsalia; _tb_, _tb′_, tibiale-centrale;
_IV_, _V_, 4th and 5th metatarsals.]
The tibia consists of a cylindrical shaft with enlargements of about
equal size at the ends. The proximal end forms most of the knee joint,
the distal end articulates with a tarsal element said by Reynolds to
represent the fused astragalus and centrale, by Wiedersheim called the
astragalus, and said to represent the united tibiale, intermedium, and
centrale (tb, tb′). The fibula articulates by a small enlargement at
its proximal end with the femur, and by an enlargement of about equal
size, at its distal end, with the fibulare or calcaneum (ca), and with
a small facet on the above-mentioned tibiale-centrale element.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account