Morphologic and Morphometric Studies of Long Bones of One- Humped Camel Fetuses

Abstract

This work was aimed at studying the morphologic and morphometric anatomy of long bones of camel fetuses across the three trimesters. Twenty four (24) fetuses were used; eight fetuses at each trimester. All the fetuses were aged and dissected to remove long bones from both forearm and hindlimbs. The bones were observed to have the characteristic features (diaphysis and epiphysis) of long bones across the trimesters. The proximal and distal epiphyses were cartilaginous in the first trimester without any distinguishable features. At the second and third trimesters lesser and greater tubercles were distinct on the humerus while the femur had head and condyles at the proximal and distal extremities respectively. The radio-ulna was seen as fused bones at third trimester and the tibia was observed as a single bone across the trimesters. Osteometric results showed increase across the trimesters, with the mean bone length increasing from 1.06 � 0.04cm in metatarsal at the first trimester to 27.18 � 6.54cm in metacarpal bone at the third trimester, while the mean weight increased from 0.04 � 0.01g in metacarpal bone to 80.50 � 0.82g in the radio-ulna bone. The results of this study provide basics on the developmental features of the long bones of camel fetus and would add to the dearth of information on the camel developmental anatomy