Download 7. CatSuperficialMusclesHindlimb

Mr. Karns
AP Biology
Cats
#7
Superficial Muscles Hind limb Medial View
Name _______________________
Box #________ date __________
Remove the superficial fascia and fat from the medial surface of the thigh. Separate the more obvious
muscle masses as in the photo. Do not cut blood vessels or nerves. The blood vessels seen are the femoral vein
and saphenous nerve may also be see.
Observe the two large superficial muscles on the ventro- medial surface of the thigh.
*Sartorius- This muscles occupies the anterior half of the thigh. It resembles a flattened band about 1.5
inches wide. Separate it from the neighboring muscles. It originates from the crest of the ilium and inserts upon
the tibia and patella. It adducts and rotates the thigh and extends the knee. A part of it extends over the thigh to
the lateral surface.
*Gracilis- The second medial superficial thigh muscle is also broad and thin. It covers the posterior
portion of the medial (inner) thigh. Its origin is near the public symphasis and it inserts upon the medial surface
of the tibia. It is an adductor of the thigh.
There are several muscles visible between the sartorius and the gracilis. These include the:
Adductor Femoris- A portion of this muscle is seem immediately
anterior to the gracilis, while the major part lies deep to the gracilis.
Its name clearly indicates its action. It originates from the pubis and
inserts on the femur.
Adductor Longus- This narrow muscle also belongs to the adductors of
the thigh. Its origin and insertion are similar to this of the adductor
femoris
Pectineus- This is another adductor of the thigh. It is a narrow
muscle, smaller than the adductor longus. It lies just posterior to the
femoral artery and vein. Its origin is on the anterior pubis and its
insertion is on the shaft of the femur near the lesser trochanter.
Iliopsoas- Only a small portion of the muscle is seen near its point
of insertion on the femur. It is and extensive muscle arising from the
lumbar vertebrae and from the ilium. It forms a major portion of the
dorsal abdominal wall, and is the chief flexor of the trunk. It is
homologous to two muscles in man, the iliacus and the psoas major.
Beneath the sartorius lie four muscles of the anterior thigh
collectively known as the quadriceps femoris. We are now ready to consider
the superficial musculature of the lower hind leg.
*Gastrocnemius- This is the major muscle of the calf. It is visible
on both the medial surface as in the photo and the lateral surface. It
originates as two separate heads, the lateral and the medial head, on the
femur and inserts upon the heel bone, the calcaneous, by way of the long,
tough Achilles tendon. It acts as an extensor of the foot.
Soleus- It lies deep to the gastrocnemius but is also visible
superficially. It originates on the fibula and together with the
gastrocnemius inserts on the calcaneus by way of the Achilles tendon. It
also acts to extend toe foot.
*Tibialis Anterior- This is the superficial muscle covering the
anterior portion of the lower hind leg. As its name indicates, it lies
upon the tibia. It originates form the tibia and fibula and inserts by
means of a long tendon, which crosses the ankle obliquely, upon the first
metatarsal. It extends the foot and also inverts it.
*Flexor Digitorum Longus- This muscle lies on the medial aspect of
the lower hindleg, next to the tibia. It arises from the tibia and fibula
and inserts upon the terminal phalanges by means of four tendons, one for
each digit. It acts as a flexor of the digits.