The Vertebrate SkeletonReynolds, Sidney H. (Sidney Hugh)
Science
The Vertebrate Skeleton
Reynolds, Sidney H. (Sidney Hugh)
Skeleton
The first modification from it is produced by the bending ventrally of
the middle segments of both limbs upon the proximal segments, while
the distal segment is bent in the opposite direction on the middle
segment. Then the ventral surfaces of the antibrachium and crus come
to look inwards, and their dorsal surfaces to look outwards. The
brachium and manus, thigh and pes still have their dorsal surfaces
facing upwards and their ventral surfaces facing downwards as before,
and the relations of their pre-and postaxial borders remain as they
were. Many Amphibians and Reptiles, such as tortoises, carry their
limbs in this position.
In all higher vertebrates, however, a further change takes place, each
limb is rotated as a whole from its proximal end, the rotation taking
place in opposite directions in the fore and hind limbs respectively.
The anterior limb is rotated backwards from the shoulder, so that the
brachium lies nearly parallel to the body, and the elbow points
backwards, the antibrachium downwards, and the manus backwards; the
pre-axial surface of the whole limb with the radius and pollex now
faces outwards, and the postaxial surface with the ulna and fifth
finger now faces inwards. In the Walrus and, to a certain extent, in
the Sea lions the anterior limb remains throughout life in this
position. The posterior limb is also rotated, but the rotation in this
case takes place forwards, so that the thigh lies nearly parallel to
the body, the knee-joint pointing forwards; the crus downwards and the
pes forwards. The pre-axial surface of the whole limb with the tibia
and hallux looks towards the middle of the body, the postaxial surface
with the fibula and fifth toe looks outwards. This is the position in
which the hind limb is carried in nearly all mammals.
In nearly all mammals a further change takes place in the position of
the anterior limb. The radius and ulna have hitherto been parallel to
one another, but now the lower end of the radius, carrying with it the
manus, comes to be rotated forwards round the ulna, so that the manus,
as well as the pes, comes to be forwardly-directed, and its pre-axial
surface faces inwards.
In the majority of mammals the radius and ulna are permanently fixed
in this, which is known as the =prone= position, but in man and some
other mammals the manus can be pronated or turned into this position
at will. When the radius and ulna are parallel throughout their whole
length the manus is said to be in the =supine= position.
The =extensor= side of a limb is that to which the muscles which
straighten it are attached, the =flexor= side is that to which the
muscles which bend it are attached.
FOOTNOTES:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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