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Comparative skeletogenesis of the forearm of the little brown bat ( Myotis lucifugus ) and the norway rat ( Rattus norvegicus )
Author(s) -
Adams Rick A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1052140302
Subject(s) - myotis lucifugus , ulna , biology , forelimb , anatomy , forearm , ossification , humerus , zoology
This study describes, quantifies, and compares the growth and development of the volant forelimb morphology of Myotis lucifugus with that of the terretrial forelimb morphology of Rattus norvegicus . In M. lucifugus there is (1) accelerated growth in forearm length after parturition, (2) cessation in growth of the midshaft diameter of the ulna just after the onset of osteogenesis, (3) proximal fusion of the radius and ulna, which results in the radius occupying 97% of the articular surface of the elbow joint in adults, (4) fusion between the cartilaginous distal epiphyses of the radius and ulna which results in formation of a radioulnar bridge that becomes fully ossified in adults, and (5) incomplete ossification of the ulna with a section of the diaphysis becoming ligamentous. None of these events occurs during development in R. norvegicus . © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.