Humerus of Indian Wildcat (Felis silvestris ornata: Gray, 1830) - A Gross Osteological Study

Abstract

The present investigation was performed on four humeri of adult Indian wildcat to observe its characteristic features. It was a long and slender bone with a well-developed shaft and two extremities. The shaft was prismatic in its upper third, cylindrical in the middle third and compressed antero-posteriorly in its remaining part. The lateral surface was marked with the crest of humerus, anteriorly and the tricipital line, posteriorly. The medial surface was wide and located below the intertubercular groove and it had nutrient foramen in the distal one third. The posterior surface was present only in distal 1/3rd of bone and was triangular. The proximal extremity composed of head, neck, lesser tubercle (medial tuberosity), greater tubercle (lateral tuberosity) and intertubercular groove (bicipital groove). The distal extremity was composed of two condyles, epicondyles, supracondylar foramen and olecranon fossa. The supracondylar foramen was present medially and elongated oval in shape.