General Zoology - Frog Skeletal System

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering frog skeletal anatomy, limb bone fusion, specialized adaptations, and bone physiology based on the General Zoology laboratory module.

Frog Anatomy

A structure very similar to that of man, containing the same kinds of organs and organ systems but in a much simpler form.

Radius and Ulna

Bones in a frog's front legs that, unlike in humans, are fused into one bone.

Tibia and Fibula

Bones of the frog's lower hind leg that are fused together.

Scapulae

The shoulder blades of a frog.

Clavicles

The collarbones of a frog.

Digits

A collection of small bones making up a frog's fingers and toes, usually numbering four on the front legs and five on the back legs.

Tree Frog Toes

Long, flexible toes adapted for grasping stems and branches while climbing.

Aquatic Frog Toes

Long toes with webbed spaces between them, functioning like flippers.

Burrowing Frog Feet

Feet that are shorter and wider, shaped like shovels or spades for digging into soil.

Frog Neck

A structure frogs lack, preventing them from turning, lifting, or lowering their heads.

Frog Ribs

Structures frogs do not have; the rib-like features visible in their skeleton are actually part of the spine.

Frog Pelvis

A structure that can slide up and down the spine, which may assist the frog in jumping.

Urostyle

A single bone at the bottom end of the spine formed by fused vertebrae.

Foramen Magnum

The large opening at the posterior portion of the skull, bounded by occipital condyles, where the brain and spinal cord connect.

Hyaline Cartilage

The material whose growth increases the length of a bone before being replaced by bone tissue.

Appositional Growth

The process by which bone tissue is added to the surface of existing bone to increase its width.

Periosteum

A connective tissue membrane covering the bone, whose deep layer secretes new bone tissue.

Collagen

The organic protein component of bone that provides flexibility.

Hydroxyapatites

The mineral component of bones formed primarily of calcium and phosphorus.

Living Bone Water Content

The proportion of living bone made of water, which is approximately $\frac{1}{3}$.

Humerus

The bone supporting the upper part of the frog's front leg.

Femur

The bone that supports the frog's upper hind leg.

Carpus

The collection of bones forming the wrist in the frog's front limb.

Metacarpals

Bones located between the carpus and phalanges in the frog's front limb.

Phalanges

The bones that make up the toes or fingers of the frog.

Astragalus and Calcaneum

Bones found in the hind limb/ankle area of the frog, as indicated in the skeletal diagram.

Atlas

The first vertebra of the vertebral column in the frog.

Sacrum

A specific portion of the frog's vertebral column located toward the posterior end before the urostyle.