Comparative Anatomy Exploration:Skeletal and Bone Structures

Comparative Anatomy Exploration:Skeletal and Bone Structures

Comparative Anatomy Exploration

Skeletal and Bone Structures

This is designed as a fun and informative exploration into the different skeletal and bone structures of different animals. Students will select a human bone of their choice and anatomically compare it to an analogous bone or bone structure in a vertebrate animal of their choice! The student will perform a literature review and research and submit a short paper (5-6 pages) describing the similarities and differences of the bone/bone structure between a human and animal skeleton.

Examples to get the creative juices flowing!

Scapula – Not weight bearing in humans but is in tetrapedal animals! How is the human scapula different in a monitor lizard or elephant? How does it compare to what is equivalent to a bird scapula?

Cervical vertebrae in humans versus a giraffe! Humans have the same number of cervical vertebrae as a giraffe – how does a giraffe’s cervical vertebrae differ?

Os coxae – how does the acetabulum placement and orientation of the pelvic bones differ in your animal?

Dental formula of a grizzly bear compared to a human. How is the number of teeth and shape of teeth different?

Paper Requirements (40 points total):

Paper must be typed and 5-6 pages in length (including pictures, diagrams, references, etc.).
Resources – all references used (including for diagrams or photos of animal bone structures) and cited in the reference section of the paper.
Attach scanned or digital images of bone/bone structure to paper.

è ** Please turn in a digital copy to me (make sure to make a copy for yourself too!)

Paper Components (5 parts):

(10 pts) Bone/Bone structure and animal of choice. The animal must be a vertebrate animal (Phylum Chordata). Select from different classes: Mammals, Amphibia, Reptiles, Avian, Bony Fishes, etc.

* List the common name of the animal and its specific taxonomic classification:

(Class, Order, Family, Genus and species).

* List the name of the specific and analogous bone researched. (Human anatomical name and specific zoological name if different for that animal).

* Briefly discuss why you chose this bone or bone structure and animal.

(15 pts) Bone or bone structure comparisons.

* Print out pictures of the bone of choice for the human and animal and label.

* Describe anatomical differences. Might include orientation of processes, density (medullary cavity present? May see differences with marine and avian animals).

* Describe anatomical similarities in bone processes.

è Use correct anatomical terminology (proximal/distal, superior(cranial) vs. inferior (caudal),

Anterior (ventral) vs Posterior (dorsal), etc.

(5 pts) How does bone structures relate to function?

Discuss why you think the differences in bone structures and orientation best suit the human or animal you are studying? What advantages do the differences in structure give to the human and animal?

A good way to think of this is to imagine if the human bone structure replaced the animal bone structure or vice versa – how would this affect function of the animal or human?

(5 pts) Reference Citations Please list all references (text or on-line) you used at end of paper.

This includes reference sites for photos/pictures (Website URL’s, textbooks, etc.)

(5 pts) Paper organization, neatness, thoroughness, etc.

Possible ON-LINE Reference WEB Sites:

Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology)

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html

Comparison of Humans and Primates

www.eskeletons.org

Dr. Anna E. Ross’ Comparative Anatomy Course BIOL 212

http://www.cbu.edu/~aross/Comp_Anat.htm

Digital Morphology (NSF Digital Library at University of Texas)

http:/digimorph.org/index.phtml

Will’s Skull Page (Skulls of most animals!)

http://www.skullsite.co.uk/index.htm

WebAnatomy – University of Minnesota (Human Anatomy, digital images)

http://:msjensen.cehd.umn.edu/webanatomy/

Textbooks on reserve at library:

Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates by G. Kent, L. Miller (8th ed., 1997)
Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution by K. Kardong (4th ed., 2006)
Comparative Vetebrate Anatomy (Lab Dissection Guide) by K. Kardong, E. Zalisko (3rd ed., 2002)
Atlas and Dissection Guide to Comparative Anatomy by S. Wischnitzer (5th ed., 1993)
The Vertebrate Body by A. Romer, T. Parsons (6th ed., 1986)

Comparative Anatomy Exploration:Skeletal and Bone Structures