Comparative anatomic and morphometric examination of the interosseous muscle,sesamoid ligaments and flexor tendons of the fetlock in South American camelids |
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Authors: | Susanne Schraml William Arthur Barrios Santos Christoph Mülling Claus Bässler Jenny Hagen |
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Institution: | 1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany;2. Laboratorio de Histología, Embriología y Patología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru;3. Department Biodiversity Conservation, Biologicum, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
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Abstract: | This study presents a comparative morphological and morphometrical examination of the interosseous muscle (IOM), digital flexor tendons and associated structures of all four species of South American Camelids (SACs): Lama (Lama glama), alpaca (Vicugna pacos), guanaco (Lama guanicoe) and vicuna (Vicugna vicugna). Our findings show that the lamoid interosseous muscle and digital flexor tendons are very similar between species and differences, which have been reported previously, are possibly due to diverging examiner interpretation. Lumbricalis muscles were mostly found as single muscles in this study. The definition of the terminal and dorsal branches of the interosseous muscle is critically revised. The analysis of morphometric data indicates that the size of the individual has a substantial influence on the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the examined structures. Metacarpal/metatarsal bone width is a main predictor of CSA, while the factor species only shows significance in specific sample points. For lama and alpaca, no differences in CSA in relation to species as factor were found. The IOM shows the largest CSAs of the three examined structures in all species, which implies an important load-bearing function. Considerable individual variation remains unexplained by the mentioned factors. This lowers the prospect of CSA reaching diagnostic importance in SAC fetlock pathology. |
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Keywords: | anatomy camelids comparative digital flexor tendons distal extremity interosseous muscle south american |
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