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
All six variations in the lumbosacral plexus were found on both sides of
each specimen exhibiting the variation. In marked contrast to the other
nerves, there was no significant variation in the lumbosacral plexus
between the right and left sides of one individual. (This might not
always be true, however, if a larger number of specimens were studied.)
Of the variations in the lumbosacral plexus, one was found in only one
specimen (of 15), one was found in three specimens, one in four
specimens, two in six specimens, and one in seven specimens. Of the 34
variations found in the other nerves, 14 were found in only one leg (of
23), six occurred in two legs, four in three legs, three in four legs,
three in five legs, two in six legs, one in seven legs, and one in nine
legs.
Four of the variations were found only in specimens in which only one
leg was dissected. Considering only those eight specimens in which both
legs were dissected, and excluding the lumbosacral plexus, ten of the 30
variations were found in both legs of each specimen exhibiting the
variation; 16 variations were found in only one leg of each specimen
exhibiting the variation; four variations were found in both legs of
some specimens but in only one leg of other specimens.
The number of variations in common between the two legs of one
individual was compared with the number between individuals in the same
manner as for the muscles; the lumbosacral plexus was excluded from
consideration. See table 6. 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. 2L and T.p. 3R. Thus for most specimens there was as much variation
in the nerves other than the lumbosacral plexus between the right and
left legs of one individual as there was between individuals.
Of the 40 nerve variations (including the lumbosacral plexus) 11 were
found only in _T. pallidicinctus_, seven were found only in _T. cupido_,
and seven were found only in _Pedioecetes_. Four were found in both
species of _Tympanuchus_ (but not in _Pedioecetes_). Eleven were found
in both _Tympanuchus_ and _Pedioecetes_; of these, four were found in
all three species, three were shared by _T. pallidicinctus_ and
_Pedioecetes_ and four occurred in _T. cupido_ and _Pedioecetes_.
The average number of variations per leg in both muscles and nerves was
11 in _T. pallidicinctus_, nine in _T. cupido_, and 16 in _Pedioecetes_.
The high number in the last is in part the result of these being
variations from the typical condition of _T. pallidicinctus_ (rather
than from _Pedioecetes_).
_Analysis of Variation Between Species_
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