Vertebrate Zoology Lab Practical 2 - General Anatomy + Integumentary

General Anatomy + Integumentary (outer body) System

Anisodactyl

Three toes point forward, one toe points backwards.

Turtle Shell

Composed of bone covered in epidermal scutes. Limb girdles are located inside of the shell.

Carapace

The upper shell, derived in part from the ribs. Limb girdles are located inside

Plastron

The lower shell, derived from the clavicles and gastralia.

Scutes

Makes up the carapace. Epidermal in origin, lies over the bone.

Zygodactyl

Two toes point forward, two toes point backwards.

Claw

A hardened, keratin-covered structure at the distal end of the phalanges.

Cloaca

A single common cavity and external opening to the digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts.

Dermal Armor

Armor derived from the dermis of the skin, may be bone or keratin.

Digit

An individual sub-appendage of the manus and pes/fingers and toes.

Hoof

The thick keratinous covering of the entire end of the toe in unguligrade animals.

Lips

Fleshy edges to the mouth; can seal the mouth when closed and conceal teeth.

Lobed

Distinctly rounded; bulbous projection(s) on the body. EX: Lobe-finned fishes.

Pectoralis Major

Pectoral muscles; attached to sternum, major flight muscle in birds.

Tail

In vertebrates, the portion of the animal posterior to the 4nus. Typically used in propulsion or balance,

Thymus Gland

A gland that sits near the heart and functions in the development of the immune system.

Webbed

Stretched skin membrane extending between limbs, digits or other body parts; typical of aquatic species.

Wings

Consists of a proximal humerus, the paired ulna and radius, and the reduced and fused bones of the manus.

Dermis

The deeper of the two main layers of skin; composed of connective tissues and also includes capillaries, sensory structures, and neurons.

Epidermis

The top layer of skin, composed of epithelial tissue (densely packed cells); typically contains keratin.

Feather

Epidermal structures derived from scales.

Alula

A small cluster of feathers that attach to the first digit (thumb) and function to direct air flow over the wing.

Barb

A side branch coming off the main branch of a structure, such as the hook near the tip of a spine, or on a feather (where barbs may be loose or lock together to form a vane).

Bristle

A relatively stiff epidermal structure (such as a modified hair or feather).

Calamus

The portion of the main shaft of a feather that lacks barbs and embeds in the skin.

Contour Feather

Feathers that are at least partially pennaceous (stiff, smooth) and produce the outer "shell” of feathers.

Covert Feathers

Cover other feathers, smooth airflow over the wings and tail.

Down Feathers

Plumulaceous feathers lacking a rachis; provides insulation.

Filoplume

A long feather with only a small tuft of barbs at the distal end; primarily sensory.

Pennaceous Feather

Having a flat, contiguous surface due to barbs hooking together.

Plumulaceous Feather

Barbs do not hook together, surface is not flat. Appearance is downy.

Rachis

The portion of the main shaft of a feather that supports barbs.

Remix (plural Regimes)

Flight feather on the wing of birds.

Retrix (plural Retrices)

Flight feather on the tail of birds.

Primary Feather

Remix (wing flight feather) that attaches to the manus.

Secondary Feather

Remix (wing flight feather) that attaches to the ulna.

Semiplume

A plumulaceous feather having a rachis; provides insulation.

Vane

In feathers, the collective barbs on one side of the rachis that form a flat sheet and/or lock together.

Hair

Filamentous derivative of the epidermis of mammals, functioning primarily in insulation.Hor

Horn

A structure projecting from the head with a bone core and covered with hard keratin.

Antler

A bone projection on the skulls of deer that is covered in skin while growing (velvet) and then bare bone when completed; shed annually.

Ossicone

A projecting of dermal bone (that develops separately rather than an outgrowth of a skull bone) and is permanently covered in skin and hair.

Pelage

The total collective hair (fur) of a mammal.

Scale

A hard or tough, usually flattened structure in the skin that acts as protection. Scales may be dermal (and thus composed of bone as in fishes and stem tetrapods) or epidermal (and thus composed of keratin as in amniotes).

Keel

A ridge that extends from an otherwise flat structure (like the keel of a boat).

Uropygial Gland

Preen gland in birds, located on the dorsal base of the tail.

Vibrissa (plural Vibrissae)

An elongated hair for tactile sensing; a whisker.