Gross anatomy of scapula in tiger (Panthera tigris)

Abstract

The present study was conducted on the scapula of five adult tigers to record the characteristic features of scapula bone. It was placed on lateral aspect of thorax, directed downward and forward. It was in the form of wide plate having scapular spine on lateral aspect. The height of spine increased gradually towards the distal end. The acromian process was subdivided into hamate process and suprahamate process. Hamate process overhanged the glenoid cavity. The suprahamate process was in the form of thin triangular plate directed backwards. The supraspinous fossa presented undulating surface in its middle. The infraspinous fossa was triangular and more or less flattened. Subscapular fossa was shallow and presented two prominent ridges. The caudal angle of the scapula was terminated in to glenoid cavity which was oval to quadrangular in shape. Cranial and proximal to the glenoid cavity prominent supraglenoid tubercle was observed which had hook shaped coracoid process. Scapula of both the sides were morphologically similar but the morphometrical values for the right scapula were non-significantly higher than the left counterpart (t< 0.05), which may be of some biomechanical importance.