Re: Anatomical terms

[Markus Moser <m.moser@lrz.uni-muenchen.de>]

Graeme Worth originally asked for explanation of some anatomical terms,
to which David Marjanovic answered [shortened]:

> > pubic plate
> 
> If not the pubic apron, then perhaps the entire pubis in animals
> (non-dinosaurs...) in which it isn't a long bone.

in prosauropods the pubis is plate-like, anatomically the pubic apron is
the ala pubis ("wing").


> > ischial foot
> 
> An expansion of the distal end of the ischium. *Allosaurus* has both a
> pubic and an ischia_dic_ foot.

Nick Gardner disagreed (?):
 
> A distal expansion of the ilium, look at most non-coelurosaurian tetanurans 
> for an example.

"ischial foot": Anatomically: processus terminalis ischii. Present in
many archosaurs.
"ischiadic peduncle" (if this is what Nick Gardner had in mind):
Processus articularis ossis ischii (a posterior lower process of ilium). 

> > sacrocostal (yoke)
> 
> Made of the fused sacral costae = ribs.

Not quite true. Sacral ribs do fuse distally and sometimes even
proximally in many archosaurs. If the sacrum (with its ribs) fuses to
the ilia, then it is called a synsacrum. A sacrocostal yoke [some say
sacricostal yoke] (iugum sacrocostale) is present if the sacral ribs do
contribute to the acetabulum, i. e. they have direct contact with the
femur by a distinct articular surface. The sacrocostal yoke then
subjugates the femur so to say. This is only present in sauropods.


Dr. Markus Moser
Bayerische Staatssammlung fuer Palaeontologie und Geologie
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Department fuer
Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften, Sektion Palaeontologie
Richard-Wagner-Str. 10
D-80333 Muenchen
Germany