COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF THE FORELIMB

OSTEOLOGY
SCAPULA
Tuber spinae scapulae – tuber in the middle of spina scapulae in su, eq
Acromion – the ventral end of the spina scapulae in Car and Ru
Processus hamatus – ventral process of acromion in Car and or
Processus suprahamatus – caudal process of acromion in fe and or

CLAVICULA
Developed in fe and or, without a connection to the skeleton. Rudimentary in ca

HUMERUS
Tuberculum majus pars cranialis et pars caudalis – divided in ungulates
Tuberculum minus pars cranialis et pars caudalis – divided in Ru and eq
Tuberculum intermedium – developed in eq
Facies musculi infraspinati – developed in ungulates
Tuberositas teres major – developed in ungulates
Capitulum humeri – developed in Car
Fossa coronoidea – depression on the cranial surface, medial to fossa radialis, in fe
Foramen supratrochleare – opening between fossa olecrani and fossa radialis in ca and or
sometimes in su
Foramen supracondylare – opening in epicondylus medialis in fe

RADIUS
Circumferentia articularis – structure for articulation with ulna in Car
Incisura ulnaris radii – notch for articulation with ulna in Car
ULNA
Caput ulnae – distal end of the ulna, in all domestic animals except of eq
CARPUS
Number of carpal bones Notes
Rabbit 9 + Os carpi centrale
Pig 8
Horse 8-7 Not developed os carpale
primum (sometimes)
Cat, dog 7 Os carpi intermedioradiale
Cattle 6 Not developed os carpale
primum, os carpale
secundum et tertium are
fused.

Os sesamoideum m. abductoris digiti I. – sesamoid bone on the medial side of the carpus in
Car
Ossa sesamoidea palmaria – variable sesamoid bones on the palmar side of the carpus in
Car

METACARPUS
Number of metacarpal Notes
bones
Rabbit, cat, dog 5
Pig 4 Not developed os
metacarpale I.
Cattle 3 Developed os metacarpale
tertium et quartum, os
metacarpale quintum is
rudimentary.
Horse 3 Developed os metacarpale
tertium, os metacarpale
secundum et quartum are
rudimentary.

Incisura intercapitalis – intertrochlear notch on the distal end of the metakarpus, dividing
the distal ends in Ru
OSSA DIGITORUM MANUS
Phalanx proximalis – os compedale in eq
Phalanx media – os coronale in eq
Phalanx distalis – os ungulare in eq, Ru, su , os unguiculare in Car
Phalanx distalis in cattle
a) Facies parietalis – external surface
- Facies parietalis axialis
- Facies parietalis abaxialis
- Margo dorsalis – divides parietal surface to the abaxial and axial part
- Apex phalangis distalis – distal end of margo dorsalis
- Processus extensorius – process for attachment of extensor tendon
- Foramen axiale – opening on the axial surface of the facies parietalis located
under the processus extensorius
- Foramina vasculosa – openings for vessels on the abaxial surface
- Margo solearis – distal border
- Sulcus parietialis – parietal groove
- Processus palmaris – palmar process
- Foramen processus palmaris – opening for vessels
- Tuberculum flexorium – tuber on the processus palmaris
- Foramen axiale opens into the canalis solearis and ends in foramen processus
palmaris.

b) Facies solearis – palmar surface

c) Facies articularis + facies articularis sesamoidea

Phalanx distalis in horse

a) Facies parietalis – vnější plocha
- Margo solearis – solear margin
- Margo coronalis – margin between facies parietalis and facies articularis
- Processus extensorius - process for attachment of extensor tendon
- Sulcus parietalis – parietal groove
b) Facies solearis – chodidlová plocha (palmární)
- Linea semilunaris – semilunar line separating planum cutaneum and facies
flexoria
- Planum cutaneum
- Facies flexoria
- Sulcus solearis lateralis et medialis – located on the sides of facies flexoria
- Foramen soleare laterale et mediale – at the end of the sulcus solearis
- Processus palmaris lateralis et medialis
- Incisura processus palmaris (can be also foramen processus palmaris)
c) Facies articularis + facies articularis sesamoidea
Cartilagines ungulares – ungular cartilages, in old horses are ossified
Phalanx distalis in dog
- Crista unguicularis
- Tuberositas unguicularis
- Tuberculum flexorium
- Sulcus unguicularis

OSSA SESAMOIDEA

Ossa sesamoidea Ossa sesamoidea Ossa sesamoidea

proximalia (on the distalia (on the dorsalia (on the
palmar side) palmar side) dorsal side)
Horse Two in articulatio One in articulatio x
metacarpophalangea interphalangea
distalis
Cattle Two in every articulatio One in every x
metacarpophalangea articulatio
interphalangea
distalis
Pig Two in every articulatio One in every x
metacarpophalangea articulatio
interphalangea
distalis
Dog Two in every articulatio One in every One in every
metacarpophalangea, articulatio articulatio
with exception of the interphalangea metacarpophalangea
first finger – here is distalis, mostly and articulatio
developed only one cartilaginous. interphalangea
sesamoid bone proximalis manus,
mostly
cartilaginous.
Cat Two in every articulatio One in every Near to the
metacarpophalangea, articulatio articulatio
with exception of the interphalangea interphalangea
first finger – here is distalis, cartilaginous. proximalis et
developed only one distalis manus,
sesamoid bone or none. cartilaginous, can
be ossified.
Rabbit Two in every articulatio One in every x
metacarpophalangea, articulatio
with exception of the interphalangea
first finger – here is none distalis, with
developed. exception of the first
finger – here is none
developed.