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Abstract
Summary:-This study described the bones of legs and foot of ostrich (Struthio camelus) Furthermore, it considered the functional aspects of the limb structure.
This work carried out on the bones of the leg and foot, which were obtained from both sexes of six normal adult ostriches (Struthio camelus).Their ages were ranging from 1 to 3 years. These bones were collected from ostrich farm of the faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Zagazig University, Army ostrich farms in AL-Kassaseen city- Ismaillia Governorate, El Basel farm at Cairo-Alexandria desert road and ostrich slaughter houses.
All specimens were selected then prepared either by maceration or boiling method. The bones were investigated macroscopically and described in detail, digitally photographed by cannon digital camera and were measured by using the caliber and angle measuring device.
Six rear limbs used to have x-ray photographs for intertarsal, metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal joints.
All numerical data would be recorded and the anatomical specialist designations were used along the course of this work. The terminology was adopted in this work according to Osteologia and Arthrologia in Nomina Anatomica Avium (Baumel and Raikow, 1993).
In ostrich, the leg represents the tibiotarsus and fibula. Tibiotarsus is formed by the fusion between tibia and the proximal row of tarsal bones.
It was characterized proximally by larger triangular medial condyle and quadrilateral lateral one was separated by intercondyloid fossa.The cranial part of the proximal end was expanded to form lateral and cranial cnemial crests .The distal extermity expanded to form lateral and medial condyles for articulation with the tarsometatarsus.
Fibula was shorter than tibia with expanded head and showed pointed end. The foot was represented by tarsometatarsus and digits. The tarsometatarsus articulated with the distal extremity of the tibiotarsus forming the intertarsal joint. A single hypotarsus was situated caudoproximally at tarsometatarsus. At the distal extremity of tarsometatarsus, a rudimentary trochlea metatarsi II, trochlea metatarsi III and trochlea metatarsi IV were seen. The proximal phalanx of the 3 rd and 4 Th digits articulated with the trochleae metatarsi III and IV to form the metatarsophalangeal joints.
The number of digits was reduced to two, digit III has 4 phalanges and digit IV has 5 phalanges. In between these phalanges the interphalangeal joints were formed. The distal phalanx of digit III & IV were claw in shape and were covered by horny claw. The planter surfaces of the interphalangeal joints were supported by a common digital pad, which was single, very developed, elongated and elliptical in shape. The third and fourth digits were connected at their base by a small and strong interdigital web.
Most likely, the morphological features of the bones of legs and foot of ostrich had special adaptations for bipedal locomotion.