Variation in the Muscles and Nerves of the Leg in Two Genera of Grouse (Tympanuchus and Pedioecetes)Holmes, E. Bruce
Science
Variation in the Muscles and Nerves of the Leg in Two Genera of Grouse (Tympanuchus and Pedioecetes)
Holmes, E. Bruce
Leg -- Innervation; Leg -- Muscles; Sharp-tailed grouse; Tympanuchus
For one leg (the one showing the most variations) of each specimen of
which both legs were studied, the number of variations that this leg had
in common with every other leg (of all species) was determined. Then the
number of variations in common between the two legs of one individual
was compared with the number of variations in common between one leg of
this individual and each leg of every other individual. See table 4. One
leg of six of the eight specimens showed at least as many variations in
common with a leg of another individual as with the other leg of the
same individual. The two exceptions were T.p. 2R and T.c.a. 1R. Thus for
most specimens there was as much variation in the muscles between the
right and left legs of one individual as there was between individuals.
Of the 50 muscle variations seven were found only in _T. pallidicinctus_
(eight legs), 16 were found only in _T. cupido_ (nine legs), and ten
were found only in _Pedioecetes_ (six legs). Two were found in both
species of _Tympanuchus_ (but not in _Pedioecetes_). Fifteen were found
in both _Tympanuchus_ and _Pedioecetes_; of these, five were found in
all three species studied, eight were shared by _T. pallidicinctus_ and
_Pedioecetes_, and two occurred in _T. cupido_ and _Pedioecetes_.
Nerves
The lumbosacral plexus, femoral nerve, sciatic nerve, and tibial nerve
all showed numerous individual variations. The peroneal nerve, however,
was relatively constant. Variations in the obturator nerve were
considered to be insignificant. See table 5.
In all instances except one (of 40) the typical condition in _T.
pallidicinctus_ was also the typical condition in _T. cupido_. In most
of the legs of the latter the nerve to M. flexor cruris lateralis did
not perforate M. caudofemoralis. In all instances except four the
typical condition in _T. pallidicinctus_ was also the typical condition
in _Pedioecetes_. These exceptions were: prefixation of the lumbosacral
plexus, six roots of the sciatic nerve, femoral nerve formed mainly from
S2 to S4 and two twigs to M. flexor ischiofemoralis. In all instances
the typical condition in _T. pallidicinctus_ was also the typical
condition for all species considered together.
Certain legs showed a greater number of variations from the typical
condition of the nerves than did others. The greatest number of
variations was shown by P.p. 3L, which had 12. T.p. 1R and T.c.p. 1L
both showed only one.
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