Click on each image to see a
larger version.
Cat (Eutherian) & Opossum (Metatherian)
Skeletons
Cat skeleton lateral
view
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/cat_skeleton.jpg)
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Opossum Skeleton
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/opossum_skeleton.jpg)
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Cat hind limb
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/cat-hind-leg.jpg)
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Opossum - note the
epipubic bones on pelvis and the tiny "chevron" bones
enclosing the hemal canals on the caudal vertebrae.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/opossum_epipubic.jpg)
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Cat - pectoral girdle
showing the "wired" in place, tiny clavicles. Cat clavicles
are suspended in muscle tissue normally.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/cat_clavicle.jpg)
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Opossum - pectoral
girdle with large clavicles
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/opossum_clavicle.jpg)
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Cat cervical
vertebrae
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/cat_cervical.jpg)
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Cat thoracic
vertebrae
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/cat_thoracic.jpg)
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Cat lumbar & sacral
vertebrae
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/cat_lumbar-sacral.jpg)
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Porqupine sacral vert.
- dorsal view at left, ventral view at right.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/porqupine_pelvis.jpg)
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Cat caudal vertebrae
have very tiny hemal arches along the first part of the
tail.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/cat-hemal-arches.jpg)
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Opossum caudal
vertebrae have hemal arches that sit ~ between the vertebrae
along the ventral side.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/opossum_caudals.jpg)
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Human Skeleton
Human vertebrae -
showing atlas, axis above, thoracic vertebrae in lower left
& lumbar vertebrae in lower right.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/human_vert.jpg)
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Human skeleton with
cervical vertebrae & hyoid arch
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/human-hyoid.jpg)
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Human clavicle &
scapula in position with the humerus.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/human-clavicle.jpg)
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Human scapulae (lateral
view on the left & medial view on the right). Identify
the scapular spine, acromion process & coracoid
process.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/human_scapulae.jpg)
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Human sacrum &
caudal vertebrae
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/human_sacrum.jpg)
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Human hand &
foot
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/human_hand-foot.jpg)
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Misc. Porqupine Bones
(Eutherian)
Cervical vertebrae -
lower left are the atlas & axis (it's odontoid process
is broken off, but note the large neural spine). The other
cervicals show their transverse foramina & are facing
anteriorly.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/porqupine_cervicals.jpg)
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Thoracic vertebrae -
look for the rib attachments on the transverse processes
& centrum (not always easily visible on these small
vertebrae). The anterior sides of these vert. are facing
left.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/porqupine_thoracics.jpg)
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Lumbar vertebrae -
larger centra & no rib attachments. Anterior surfaces of
all vertebrae face forward or to the left. Find the pre
& post=zygapophyses.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/porqupine_lumbars.jpg)
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Caudal Vertebrae have
tiny neural canals, reduced neural spines & transverse
processes, reduced zygapophyses. No hemal canals remain
attached, although they would have been present in these
vert.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/porqupine_caudals.jpg)
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Front leg bones -
scapula (medial surface, so spine is hidden), clavicles,
humerus, radius & ulna.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/porqupine_foreleg.jpg)
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HInd leg bones -
"innominate", femur, patella (kneecap), tibia, fibula, a few
tarsals & phalanges.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/porqupine_hindleg.jpg)
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Marine Adaptations
Dolphin front limb -
anterior (lateral) view
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/dolphin-forearm-anterior.jpg)
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Dolphin front limb -
posterior (medial) view
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/dolphin-forearm_posterior.jpg)
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Dolphin Vertebrae - The
upper vertebra is from the lumbar region & the lower,
narrow one is a cervical. Whales reduce the length of the
neck & limit neck movement.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/dolphin_vertebrae.jpg)
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A large seal scaula on
the left & an ungulate scapula on the right.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/scapulae_lateral.jpg)
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Harbor Seal -
juvenile's forelimb
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/seal_forelimb_new.jpg)
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Harbor Seal -
juvenile's hindlimb
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/seal_hindlimb.jpg)
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Harbor Seal - humerus
(left) & femur (right) anterior views
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/harborseal_humerus_femur.jpg)
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Harbor Seal - humerus
(left) & femur (right) posterior views
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/harborseal_humerus_femur2.jpg)
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Flight Adaptations - Bats
Megachiroptera - Bat
Wing
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/bat_wing_new.jpg)
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Close - up of that wing
to show the reduced ulna at the elbow.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/bat-ulna.jpg)
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Cursorial (Running) Adaptations of Large
Ungulates
Springbok pelvic girdle
- ventral view with the ileum bones at the top, ischium at
the bottom & the pubic bones meeting in the
midline.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/springbok_pelvis1.jpg)
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Miscellaneous ulnas -
lowest from a seal, largest is human & uppor ones show
the reduction typical of cursorial adaptions.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/ulna-diversity.jpg)
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Anterior views of a
small ungulate (springbok) femur (left) & humerus
(right).
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/springbok_humerus_femur.jpg)
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Horse radius & ulna
- note enlargement of radius & fusion of ulna to radius
that strengthens the leg & prevents rotation of the
foot.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/horse_radius_ulna.jpg)
Horse tibia
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/horse_tibia.jpg)
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Horse & deer
metacarpals - posterior views. The deer metacarpal (right)
is made by the fusion of digits 2 & 3 & will connect
to two toes. The large horse metacarpal is from digit 3, but
you can see the reduced, # 2 & #4 metacarpals along
either side of # 3.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/metacarpal_posterior.jpg)
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Horse phalanges, the
terminal phalange in enlarged to form the support for the
hoof.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/horse_phalanges.jpg)
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Atlas - 1st
cervical vertebra of large ungulate, anterior view.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/atlas_vert_anterior.jpg)
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Axis - 2nd
cervical vertebra of large ungulate, lateral view.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/axis_vert_large.jpg)
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Ungulate Cervicals -
left anterior & right posterior views
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/ungulate_cervicals.jpg)
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Lumbar vertebrae with
long transverse processes.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/lumbar_vert_anterior.jpg)
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Lateral view of a
thoracic vertebrae from a large ungulate. Locate the
attachment points for the ribs on the lateral part of the
central & transverse processes. Find the
pre-zygapophyses.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/thoracic_vert.jpg)
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Thoracic vertebae of a
large ungulate, posterior view showing the interlocking
post- zygapophyses.
![](http://courses.washington.edu/chordate/453photos/skeleton_photos/thoracic_vert2.jpg)
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