1. Appendicular Skeleton

2. Pectoral Girdle
The pectoral girdle is made of the bones that attach the arms and hands to the axial skeleton
The arms are attached by the clavicle (collarbone) and the scapula (shoulder blade)
The bones of the arm are the humerus (upper arm) and the radius and ulna (lower arm)

3. Parts of the scapula
The scapula has a protruding bone along the dorsal side called the “spine”
Superior to it is the supraspinous fossa
Inferior to the spine is the infraspinous fossa
These are sites for large amounts of muscle attachment

4. Lower arm bones The radius and ulna connect the hand to the upper arm
The radius runs along the thumb side and the ulna to the pinky side when the body is in anatomical position

5. Bones of the wrist and hand
The wrist bones are carpals
The bones of the hand are the metacarpals
The digits are made of 3 bones each (except the thumb which only has 2) called phalanges

6. The Pelvic Girdle
The pelvic girdle attaches the bones of the legs and feet to the axial skeleton
The pelvis is actually 3 fused bones (os coxa)
The ischium
The ilieum
The pubis
These bones are separate in the fetus but fuse later

7. Pelvis continued
The pubis bone is joined at the pubic symphysis—a cartilage pad
This allows the pelvis to have some “give” and flexibility

8. Differences in male and female pelvis
The male’s pelvic opening is heart shaped
The female’s is more oval (allowing for baby’s head during birth)
The male pubic arch is <90 degrees, the female pubic arch >90 degrees
The male tailbone is tucked under, the female’s protrudes out more (again for childbirth)

9. Bones of the leg
The femur (thigh bone) is the largest bone in the human body
The patella (kneecap) helps connect the upper leg to the lower leg
The lower leg is made of the tibia (which makes the shin bone) and the fibula—a non-weight bearing bone

10. Bones of the feet and ankles
Ankle bones are tarsals
Bones of the feet are metatarsals
Digits—the toes—made of of 3 phalanges each except the big toe only has 2

11. Differences in cat and man
The cat has one fewer carpal bone
The cat only has 4 digits on the rear leg
The cat’s pelvis is tilted at a different angle due to the fact they walk on all fours
The clavicle of the cat is imbedded in muscle and not attached to any other bone (which bone in humans is not attached?)

12. Other random stuff to know
The word “skeleton” comes from the Greek word for “dried up” or “mummy”
The current form of the human skeleton has been around for about 3 million years