The Vertebrate SkeletonReynolds, Sidney H. (Sidney Hugh)
Science
The Vertebrate Skeleton
Reynolds, Sidney H. (Sidney Hugh)
Skeleton
1. head of femur.
2. neck.
3. great trochanter.
4. shaft.
5. external condyle.
6. internal condyle.
7. fabella.
8. cnemial crest.]
The =pubis= (fig. 78, 12) is smaller than either the ischium or ilium;
it does not take part in the formation of the acetabulum, and like the
ischium, meets its fellow in a ventral symphysis. The =acetabular
bone= (fig, 78, B, 14) is small and triangular, and is wedged in
between the other three. It forms about one-sixth of the acetabulum.
THE POSTERIOR LIMB.
The =posterior limb=, like the anterior, is divisible into three
parts; these are the =thigh=, the =crus= or =shin=, and the =pes=.
The =thigh= contains only a single bone, the =femur=.
The =femur= is a long straight bone with a nearly smooth shaft and
expanded ends. The proximal end bears on its inner side the large
rounded =head= (fig. 79, A, 1) which articulates with the acetabulum.
External to the head and divided from it by a deep pit is a large
rough outgrowth, the =great trochanter= (fig. 79, 3). The deep pit is
the =trochanteric= or =digital fossa=. On the inner side below the
head is a smaller roughened surface, the =lesser trochanter=. The
lower or distal end of the bone bears two prominent rounded surfaces,
the =condyles=, which articulate with the tibia. They are separated
from one another by the deep =intercondylar notch=, which is continued
above and in front as a shallow groove, lodging a large sesamoid bone,
the =patella= or =knee-cap=. At the back of the knee-joint are a pair
of smaller sesamoids, the =fabellae= (fig. 79, 7).
In the young animal there are three epiphyses to the shaft of the
femur, one forming the head, one the great trochanter, and one the
distal end.
The =crus= or =shin= contains two bones, the =tibia= and =fibula=. The
=tibia= is a fairly thick straight bone, expanded at both ends,
especially at the head or proximal end. The proximal end is triangular
in cross section, and bears two facets for articulation with the
condyles of the femur. The anterior surface of the proximal end of the
tibia is marked by the strong =cnemial crest= (fig. 79, 8), which runs
some way down the shaft. The distal end of the tibia articulates with
the astragalus by an irregular, somewhat square surface.
The shaft of the tibia ossifies from one centre, the distal end from a
second, and the proximal end from two more.
[Illustration FIG. 80. A, RIGHT MANUS, B, RIGHT PES OF A DOG (_Canis
familiaris_) × 1/2 (after VON ZITTEL).
1. bone representing the fused scaphoid, lunar and centrale.
2. cuneiform.
3. trapezium.
4. trapezoid.
5. magnum.
6. unciform.
7. pisiform.
8. first metacarpal.
9. fifth metacarpal.
10. astragalus.
11. calcaneum.
12. navicular.
13. middle cuneiform.
14. external cuneiform.
15. cuboid.
16. first metatarsal.
The digits are numbered with Roman numerals.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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