Animal Joints Anatomy – Name of Joint and Bones Involvement

You know, animal joints are the structure formed by the union of two or more articular ends of bones or cartilage with the help of certain binding materials. Okay, you will find different types of joints in animals; you may read this article for more information if you want. 

This single article will provide all the list of animal joints anatomy (joints name and bone involvements). If you are interested in learning the animal joints name with bone involvement, this article is for you. 

Here, you will find all the joints list of animals like – joints of the forelimb in cattle or other animals, animal leg joints, joints of the vertebral column, joints of the skull of animals, and others. 

Animal joints anatomy

If you want to know the animal joints’ anatomy, this article may help you understand joints structure. Here, I will provide only the joints list with bone involvements from the following regions of the animal’s body. 

  • #1. Joints of forelimb or thoracic limb in animals
  • #2. Joints of pelvic or hindlimb in animals
  • #3. Joints of the vertebral column in animals
  • #4. Joints of the thorax of animal
  • #5. Joints of the skull in different animals

Okay, let’s start to learn the animal joints anatomy name with bone involvements. 

Joints of the forelimb in animal

In the forelimb of animal, you will find the following joints – 

  • #1. Shoulder joint or humeral joints 
  • #2. Elbow joint (consists of 3 joints)
  • #3. Carpal joint or knee joint of the forelimb (consists of 3 joints)
  • #4. An intermetacarpal joint of the forelimb in animals
  • #5. Metacarpophalangeal joint or fetlock joint of forelimb
  • #6. Proximal interphalangeal joint or pastern joint and 
  • #7. Distal interphalangeal joints or coffin joint

Now, you might know the bones involvements of these animal joints anatomy from forelimb. The shoulder joint is formed by the glenoid cavity of the scapula and head of the humerus. Elbow joints anatomy in animal consists of 3 major joints – humero radial joint, humero ulnar joint, and radioulnar joint. Bone involvements in the elbow joints in animals – 

Humero radial joints – humerus condyle and humeral articular circumference of radius.

Humero ulnar joints – humeral condyle (posterior) and anconeal process of the ulna. 

Radioulnar joint – posterolateral aspect of the radius and anterior part of the ulna bone. 

Great, now the carpal or knee joint consists of 3 joints – ante-brachiocarpal joint, intercarpal joint, and carpometacarpal joint in animals. Do you want to know the bone involvements in these carpal joints? 

Ante brachiocarpal joint – distal end of the radius and ulna bone with proximal row of carpus bones.

Intercarpal joints – between two rows of carpal includes mediocarpal and accessory carpal bones.

Carpometacarpal joint – the distal row of the carpus and proximal end of metacarpal bones. 

Fetlock, pastern, and coffin joints anatomy in animal

In the fetlock joint(metacarpophalangeal joint), you will find the following bones involvements – proximal end of the proximal phalanx, the distal end of large metacarpal, and proximal sesamoid bone. Proximal interphalangeal joint or pastern joint consists of the following bones – 

#1. The convex, lower end of proximal phalanx and 

#2. Concave, the upper end of middle phalanx

Again, the distal interphalangeal or coffin joint consists of the distal end of the middle phalanx, proximal concave end of the distal phalanx, and distal sesamoid bones. 

Joints of pelvic or hind limb 

In the pelvic limb of animals, you will find the following joints – 

  • #1. Sacro iliac joint in pelvic limb
  • #2. Pelvic symphysis (important) 
  • #3. Hip joint or coxal articulation 
  • #4. Stiffle joint or genual articulation (another important joint of the hind limb of animal anatomy)
  • #5. Tibiofibular joint in hind limb
  • #6. Tarsal or hock or pedal joint of animals
  • #7. Metatarsophalangeal joint or fetlock joint in hind limb
  • #8. Proximal interphalangeal or pastern joint in hindlimb and 
  • #9. Distal interphalangeal or coffin joint in hind limb 

Fine, let’s know the bone involvements of the joints of hind limb in animals. 

Sacroiliac joint is formed by the articular surface of the sacrum and the articular surface of the ilium bone. The two os coxae from two lateral aspect join at ventral midline and forms the pelvic symphysis joints. Hip joint forms with the proximal end of femur (head) and acetabulum. 

The stifle joint is so important amoung the hind limb joints in animal. It consists of two joints – the femoropatellar joint and the femorotibial joint. Bone involvements of the stifle joint are – 

#1. Femoropatellar joint – trochlea of the femur and articular surface of patella and 

#2. Femorotibial joint – condyle of femur, the proximal end of the tibia and interposed articular menisci or semilunar cartilage. 

Head of fibula and crescentic facet just distal to outer margin of lateral condyle of tibia forms the proximal tibiofibular joint in animals. Hock joint consists of two joints – tibiotarsal joint and intertarsal joints. Again, intertarsal joint is two types – proximal and distal intertarsal joints. 

Trochlea of talus and corresponding surface of distal end of tibia bone forms the tibio tarsal joint in animals. The distal tarsal bone forms tarsometatarsal joint with proximal end of intertarsal bones. 

Joints of vertebral column in animal anatomy 

You will find following described joints of vertebral column in animal anatomy. 

#1. Atlantoaxial joint – forms with fovea dentis of atlas and odontoid process of axis of animal

#2. Atlantooccipital joint is formed by two deep oval cavities of atlas and corresponding condyles of the occipital bone of animals.

#3. Inter central joint – forms with caudal concave surface of the body of receding vertebrae and cranial concex surface of the body of receding vertebrae in animals.

#4. The interneural joint is formed by arch (pedicle and lamina) and processes (spinous, transverse, and articular processes).

#5. Intertransverse joints – forms with the transverse process of lumbar vertebrae.

#6. Lumbosacral joint – formed by last lumbar vertebrae and first sacral vertebrae. 

#7. Sacrococcygeal joint – bone involvements: the body of the last sacral vertebrae and body of the first coccygeal vertebrae. 

#8. Intercoccygeal joints – between the bodies of adjacent coccygeal vertebrae of animals. 

Joints of thorax list 

Now, I will provide the joints list from thorax region of animals. Let’s find these following joints from the thorax region – 

#1. Costovertebral joints 

#2. Costochondral joint 

#3. Sterno costal joint in animals

#4. Inter-chondral joint or articulation and 

#5. Sternal articulation or joint

The costochondral joint is formed by the rib’s concave surface (distally) with the convex surface of the cartilage. 

Joints of animal skull bone

You will find different joints in animal skull bones; but here I am going to enlist the important joints list from skull. 

#1. Temproromandibular joints – formed by ramus of mandible and squamous part of temporal bone. 

#2. Fibrous joints – you will find different fibrous joints in animals’ skull bone-like – interparietal suture, interfrontal suture, frontal parietal suture, tempro parietal suture and others. 

#3. Hyoid joints – like temprohyoid joint, proximal intercornual joint and distal intercornual joint. 

#4. Mandibular symphysis – one half of mandible from each two lateral aspect joins at midline by fibrous connective tissue and formed mandibular symphysis joints. 

You might also read the following articles from anatomylearn’s blog (syndesmology of animals) – 

#1. Different types of joints with example (anatomy of joints)

#2. Structure of a synovial joint with labeled diagram 

Let’s follow anatomy learner on social media to get notification on newly to publish articles or images. 

Conclusion

I Hope this single article helped you to know the name of animal joints with their bone involvements (anatomy of joint). Now, let’s identify all the joints of animal body from live sample.  You may share this article with your friend who wants to know the joints name of animal anatomy. Thanks for staying, and don’t miss any articles from anatomy learner.

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