INTRODUCTION

One of the most important lines of evidence used in the study of macroevolution is fossils, or the mineralized remains of body parts.  Because of the importance of fossils in the study of primate and human evolution, it is necessary to have a basic understanding of skeletal anatomy and morphology.  In this lab, we will learn the bones of the human/primate skeleton as well as relevant directional terms and landmarks/features of bones.
 

OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of the lab, students will

• learn the bones of the human/primate skeleton.

• learn relevant directional terms used in studying skeletal anatomy and morphology.

• learn relevant bone landmarks or features.

• practice safely handling bones and bone casts.

READINGS

Read Chapter 2 in France (2001).
 

TERMS

• macroevolution
• fossil
• anatomy
• morphology
• directional term
• bone landmark / bone feature

ASSIGNMENT

Complete your work on the answer sheets provided in lab.  You must use pencils and colored pencils.  Misspelled words and inexactly labeled bones/features will be marked wrong.

DIRECTIONAL TERMS

Review the definitions of the following pairs of directional terms.  Write the definitions on the answer sheet and label the drawings provided with each pair of directional terms.

• cranial - caudal

• lateral - medial

• dorsal (dorsum) - ventral

• proximal - distal

Study the complete human skeleton and the lab manual figures.  On the drawings provided, label EXACTLY the following bones.  Use different colors as indicated.  Note that a few bones (e.g., humerus, sacral vertebrae = sacrum, coccygeal vertebrae = coccyx) are listed with two groups of bones; the humerus need not be labeled twice, but the others do need to be labeled twice.

• Skull: cranium, mandible [page 3 of answer sheet]
  


• Skull bones [page 4 of answer sheet]:  frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, sphenoid, maxilla, mandible, zygomatic, ethmoid, lacrimal, nasal
  

• Skull bones [page 5 of answer sheet]:  frontal, parietal, temporal, vomer, sphenoid, maxilla, mandible, zygomatic, ethmoid, lacrimal, nasal, nasal conchae
  

• Skull bones [page 6 of answer sheet]:  frontal, temporal, palatine, occipital, vomer, sphenoid, maxilla, zygomatic
  

• Teeth:  incisor, canine, premolar, molar (use a different color for each group and shade them in) [label on pages 4, 5 and 6 of answer sheet]
  

• Vertebrae [page 3]:  cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, coccygeal (use a different color for each group and shade them in)

• Shoulder girdle [page 3]:  clavicle, scapula, humerus

• Thorax [page 3]:  sternum, ribs

• Forelimb/Arm [page 3]:  humerus, ulna, radius

• Wrist/Hand [page 3]:  carpals or carpus, metacarpals, phalanges (use a different color for each group and shade them in)

• Pelvic Girdle:  os coxa or innominate [the os coxa or innominate should be marked on page 3 of the answer sheet]; ilium, ischium, and pubis portions of os coxa [the three bones of the os coxa should be marked on pages 3 and 8 of the answer sheet]; sacrum, coccyx [the sacrum and coccyx should be marked on page 3 of the answer sheet]
  

• Backlimb/Leg [page 3]:  femur, tibia, fibula, patella

• Ankle/Foot [page 3]:  tarsals or tarsus, metatarsals, phalanges (use a different color for each group and shade them in)

Study the lab manual figures and the individual human bone casts provided in the lab.  On the drawings provided, label EXACTLY the following bone landmarks/features.  Ask the instructor if you cannot locate a landmark.

• Skull Landmarks [page 4 of answer sheet]:  supraorbital torus, nuchal line or nuchal ridge, mastoid process, zygomatic arch, nasal cavity, eye orbit
  

• Skull Landmarks [page 5 of answer sheet]:  supraorbital torus, sagittal suture, mastoid process, zygomatic arch, nasal cavity, eye orbit
  

• Skull Landmarks [page 6 of answer sheet]:  occipital condyles, foramen magnum, nuchal line or nuchal ridge, mastoid process, zygomatic arch
  

• Vertebral Landmarks [page 7 of answer sheet]:  body, spinous process
  

• Scapula [page 7 of answer sheet]:  glenoid fossa (glenoid cavity)

• Os Coxa or Innominate Landmarks [page 8 of answer sheet]:  acetabulum, pubic symphysis, ischial tuberosity, blade, auricular surface, greater sciatic notch

• Femur [page 9 of answer sheet]:  head, neck

REFERENCE

France, Diane.
  2004  Lab Manual and Workbook for Physical Anthropology (5th ed.). Wadsworth, Belmont, CA.