Download Anatomy Terms

Anatomy Terms
Superior: Situated in a more anterior or dorsal position in the
body of a quadruped.
Inferior: Situated in a more posterior or ventral position in the
body of a quadruped.
Dorsal: Being or located near, on, or toward the upper surface
of an animal, opposite the lower or ventral surface.
Ventral: Being or located near, on, or toward the lower surface
of an animal, opposite the back or dorsal surface.
Cranial: Situated or directed towards the head or front part of
the body.
Caudal: Situated in or directed toward the hind part of the
body.
Rostral: Situated toward the oral or nasal region.
Anterior: Situated toward the front of the body. Used in
human anatomy because of the upright posture of humans.
Posterior: Situated behind. Situated at or toward the hind part
of the body.
Planes; Three basic reference planes are used in zoological
anatomy.
The Sagittal plane divides the body into left and right halves.
The Coronal plane divides the body into dorsal and ventral
halves.
The Transverse plane divides the body into cranial and caudal
halves.
Transverse or Axial Plane: Perpendicular to the ground in the
quadruped, it separates the front end (cranial) from the back
end (caudal).
Coronal or Frontal Plane: For quadrupeds a coronal plane is
horizontal and a transverse plane is vertical.
Sagittal Plane: Perpendicular to the coronal plane, which
separates left from right.
Mid-Sagittal Plane: The specific sagittal that is exactly in the
middle of the body.
Oblique Plane: Oblique planes are planes of the body or any of
its parts that are not cut along one of the previously described
anatomical planes.
Relative Directions
Medial: Lying or extending toward the median axis of the body.
Lateral: Lying away from the median axis of the body.
Proximal: (a)Located toward the center of the body (b) Located
toward the medial plane of the body.
Distal or Peripheral: Situated away from the point of
attachment or origin or a central point as (a) located away
from the center of the body. (b) located away from the medial
plane of the body.
Median: midline of the body.
Relative directions in the Limbs
Axial: Located on, around, or in the direction of an axis
Abaxial: Located away from or on the opposite side of the axis.
Axis: A line that passes through the center of the body or body
part.
Relative Motions
Flexion: means approximating adjacent parts of the body
(usually at a joint). Flex= decrease the angle formed by a hinge
joint.
Extension: means separating them. For example, the legs are
flexed at the knee joints when sitting down, and extended
when standing up. Extend= increase the angle formed by a
hinge joint.
Adduction: means moving a part of the body toward or past its
median line or toward the long axis of a limb. Adduct= move
the limb toward the body.
Abduction: means moving a part of the body away from its
median line or away from the long axis of a limb. For example,
adducting the thighs brings the legs together, and abducting
the thighs spreads the legs apart. Similarly, adducting the
fingers brings them into contact with one another, and
abducting the fingers spreads them apart. Abduct= move the
limb away from the body.
Rotation: means moving a part about its long axis, for
example, in turning the neck.
Supination: (a) rotation of the forearm such that the palm of
the hand faces forward or upward. Supinate= rotate the limb
so the dorsum of the manus (or pes) is directed laterally.
(manus= front foot or hand, pes= hind foot).
Pronation: (c) rotation of an anatomical part towards the
midline: as a : rotation of the hand and forearm so that the
palm faces backwards or downwards b: rotation of the medial
bones in the mid tarsal region of the foot inward and
downward so that in walking the foot. Pronate – rotate the
limb so the dorsum of the manus (or pes) is directed medially.