The Appendicular Skeleton

Consists of the girdles (pelvic and pectoral) and the limbs (fore and hind limbs) attached onto them.

Bones of the Fore limbs

Are the:

• pectoral girdle
• the Humerus
• ulna
• radius
• bones of the hand.

The Pectoral Girdle

It is made up of two halves each consisting of three bones, the scapula, the coracoid process and clavicle.

The bones are attached to the upper part of the vertebral column.

The two halves are not fused but are firmly attached by muscles.

The scapula is a flat, triangular-shaped bone which overlies a number of anterior ribs.

At the apex is concave cavity or depression, the glenoid cavity, which articulates with the head of the Humerus to form the ball and socket joint.

A spine runs along the outer surface of the scapula, and at its free end close to the glenoid cavity are two projections, the acromion and metacromion, which are both for muscle attachment.

The clavicle articulates on one end with acromion process and the other with sternum.

The clavicle offer surface for muscle attachment and aids in movement of the arm.