466 



COLLEGE ZOOLOGY 



Vertebrae 



■7 Cervical- 

 - Atlas 



-13 Thoracic - 

 Neural spine 



-7 Lumbar — 

 Articulating 

 processes 



3 Sacral 



Metatarsals 

 —Phalanges 



Figure 338. Skeleton of the domestic cat. Two ribs are hidden behind the scapula. This repre- 

 sents a highly specialized skeleton. Note how much more highly developed the appendicular 

 skeleton is in comparison with that of the fish in Fig. 254. 



Frontal 



Nasal 



Maxilla 



Orbitosphenoid 



Lacrimal 



Palatine 



Premaxi 



Incisor tooth 

 Canine tooth 

 Premolar teeth 

 Incisor tooth 

 Canine tooth 



Parietal 



Supraoccipital 



Temporal 



Optic foramen 



Occipital 



Zygomatic arch 



Occipital condyle 



External auditory opening 



Molar teeth 



Mandible 



Figure 339. Skull of the domestic cat. Side view. Note that the bones are joined by dove- 

 tailed sutures. The skull protects some of the most important sense organs. ^ 



16 to 20 in number, form the skeletal axis 

 of the tail. 



The ribs and sternum constitute the 

 framework of the thorax; they not only pro- 

 tect the vital organs in that region, but also 

 play an important role in respiration. There 

 are 13 pairs of ribs (Fig. 338). The first 9 



pairs are attached separately to the sternum; 

 the others do not reach the sternum. The 

 sternum is a long, laterally compressed struc- 

 ture consisting mostly of bone. It is situated 

 in the ventral wall of the thorax and is trans- 

 versely divided into segments. 

 The pectoral girdle consists of 2 scapulae, 



