Furcation - The area where the roots of a multi-rooted tooth join the crown.
Labial - Surface of a tooth facing the lips.
Lingual - Surface of a lower tooth facing the tongue.
Occlusal surface - The flat grinding surface of molar teeth.
Ergots - Believed to be the vestigial remnants of metacarpal and metatarsal pads, these are the
horny, keratinized growths located behind the fetlocks of all equids.
Chestnuts - Thought to be the vestigial remnants of carpal and tarsal bones or extra toes
possessed by ancestors of the modern horse; they are horny, keratinized growths located on
the medial forearms and hocks of horses.
Coronary band - The part of the hoof that articulates with the skin.
Epiphysis - The end of a long bone. Each long bone has a proximal and a distal epiphysis.
Articular surface - The smooth joint surface of a bone that contacts another bone in a synovial
joint.
Condyle - A large rounded articular (joint) surface.
Head - A spheroidal articular surface on the proximal end of a long bone.
Nutrient foramen - A large channel through the cortex of a large bone through which large blood
vessels pass carrying blood to and from the bone marrow.
Ramus - The vertical portion of the mandible located at its caudal end.
Foramen Magnum - Opening for spinal cord in occipital bone.
Parietal Bone - Dorsolateral skull bones, larger in dogs and cats.
External Acoustic Meatus - Canal leading to middle ear in temporal bone.
Tympanic Bullae - Eardrum membrane between external and middle ear.
Zygomatic Bones - Form part of eye orbit and zygomatic arch.
Turbinates - Nasal conchae that warm and humidify air.
Ribs - Long bones forming thorax walls, with cartilage.
Costal Cartilage - Cartilaginous ventral portion of the rib.
Arch - Tunnel protecting the spinal cord.
Articular Process - Forms synovial joint with adjacent vertebra.
Transverse Process - Lateral projecting process of a vertebra.
Lumbar Vertebrae - Vertebrae located dorsal to abdominal region.
Sacral Vertebrae - Fused vertebrae forming the sacrum.
Coccygeal Vertebrae - Bones of the tail in the spinal column.
Scapula - Shoulder blade, proximal bone of thoracic limb.
Glenoid Cavity - Socket of the ball and socket shoulder joint.
Epicondyles - Knoblike projections on bone surfaces.
Greater Tubercle - Large process for shoulder muscle attachment.
Styloid Process - Distal radius projection articulating with carpus.
Ulna - Bone forming elbow joint with humerus.
Anconeal Process - Beak-shaped process at ulna's proximal end.
Coronoid Process - Processes on ulna's distal end for radius.
Apical - Toward the tip of the root of the tooth.
Buccal - Refers to the mouth or oral cavity.
Canine tooth - Sharp, pointed teeth between the most caudal incisors and the most rostral
premolars.
Crown - The enamel-covered, exposed part of a tooth.
Distal(surface) - For canine, premolar, and molar teeth, the surface or edge facing toward the
caudal end of the mouth. For the incisor teeth, the surface or edge farthest from the midline.
Incisal edge - The cutting edge of a sharp tooth's crown.
Incisor teeth - The most rostral group of teeth.
Mesial - For canine, premolar, and molar teeth, the surface or edge facing toward the rostral
end of the mouth. For the incisor teeth, the surface or edge facing toward the midline.
Molar tooth - The caudal cheek teeth.
Palatal - Surface of an upper tooth facing the hard palate.
Quadrant - The left or right half of each dental arch.
Root - The hidden part of a tooth below the gum line.
Dermis - The deep, connective tissue portion of the skin that contains blood vessels, glands,
and hair follicles.
Epidermis - Composed of keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, it is the outermost layer of
the skin.
Heel - The most posterior region of the hoof.
Sole - The thick, horny tissue between the wall, the frog, and the bars.
Frog - The thick, triangular pad located on the plantar and palmar surfaces of the horses'
hooves. It is one of the important structures of the circulatory pump in the equine foot.
Flat bone - Bones that are relatively thin and flat. They consist of two thin plates of compact
bone separated by a thin layer of cancellous bone.
Irregular bones - A bone whose shape does not fit into the long bone, short bone, or flat bone
categories.
Sesamoid bones - A bone present in some tendons. They act as bearings over the joint
surfaces, allowing powerful muscles to move the joints without the tendon wearing out.
Diaphysis - The shaft portion of a long bone.
Short bones - A small bone shaped like a small cube or marshmallow.
Cancellous bones - Spongy bone. A form of bone composed of seemingly randomly arranged
spicules of bone separated by spaces filled with bone marrow.
Compact bone - Heavy, dense bone made up of tiny, tightly compacted laminated cylinders of
bone called Haversian systems.
Facet - A flat, articular surface such as between carpal bones and between the radius and ulna.
Foramen - A hole in a bone.
Fossa - A depressed or sunken area on the surface of a bone.
Processes - A general name for a lump, bump or other projection on a bone.
Frontal bones - External bones of the cranium. These two bones make up the forehead region
of the skull.
Incisive bones - Skull bones that are part of the external bones of the face.
Mandible - A skull bone. One of the external bones of the face. This is the lower jaw.
Shaft - The horizontal portion of the mandible that houses all the lower teeth.
Maxillary Bones - Skull bones. External bones of the face.
Upper Jaw Bones - Bones housing upper canine and cheek teeth.
Nasal Bones - Form bridge of nose and nasal cavity.
Occipital Bone - Caudal skull bone forming atlanto-occipital joint.
Temporal Bones - Form lateral skull walls and temporomandibular joints.
Sternum - Breastbone formed by rodlike sternebrae.
Manubrium - First cranial sternebra of the sternum.
Xiphoid - Last caudal sternebra of the sternum.
Vertebrae - Bones forming the spinal column.
Spinous Process - Dorsally projecting process of a vertebra.
Cervical Vertebrae - Bones of the neck in the spinal column.
Atlas - First cervical vertebra forming atlanto-occipital joint.
Axis - Second cervical vertebra forming atlanto-axial joint.
Thoracic Vertebrae - Vertebrae located dorsal to thoracic region.
Thoracic Limb - Front limb of the animal.
Humerus - Long bone of the upper arm.
Radius - Main weight-bearing bone of the forearm.
Premolar tooth - The rostral cheek teeth.
Long bones - Bones that are longer than they are wide. Most of the limb bones, such as the
humerus, femur, radius are long bones.
Trochlear Notch - Concave surface aiding elbow joint stability.
Carpal Bones - Short bones between radius, ulna, and metacarpals.
Accessory Carpal Bone - Protrudes laterally, useful for radiography.
Metacarpal Bones - Bones between carpus and phalanges.
Phalanges - Bones composing the digits.
Pelvis - Proximal bony structure of the pelvic limb.
Os Coxae - Another name for the pelvic bone.
Os coxae - Pelvic bone attaching to the sacrum.
Ilium - Cranial area of the pelvis forming sacroiliac joint.
Ischium - Caudal area of the pelvis.
Pubis - Smallest, medial area of the pelvis.
Acetabulum - Socket for femur in hip joint.
Obturator foramen - Holes in pelvis to lighten structure.
Femur - Long thigh bone forming hip and stifle joints.
Greater trochanter - Proximal femur process for gluteal muscle attachment.
Trochlea - Smooth surface for patella movement.
Patella - Largest sesamoid bone, kneecap in stifle joint.
Fabellae - Small sesamoid bones in gastrocnemius tendon.
Tibia - Main weight-bearing bone of lower leg.
Tibial crest - Ridge on proximal tibia's front surface.
Medial malleolus - Rounded process on distal tibia's medial side.
Fibula - Thin bone beside tibia, minimal weight support.
Lateral malleolus - Rounded process on distal fibula's lateral side.
Tarsal bones - Short bones between tibia, fibula, and metatarsals.
Calcaneus - Point of hock, attaches gastrocnemius muscle.
Metatarsal bones - Bones between tarsus and phalanges.
Cartilaginous joint - Bones united by cartilage, slight movement allowed.
Synovial joint - Freely movable joint, allows extensive motion.
Fibrous joint - Immovable joint, bones united by fibrous tissue.
Arthr/o - Prefix referring to joints.
Articular - Relating to joints.
Chondr/o - Prefix referring to cartilage.
Os - Prefix referring to bone.
Oste/o - Prefix referring to bone.
Cornual process - Horn core in horned animals, connects to sinus.
Cannon bone - Large metacarpal/metatarsal bone in hoofed animals.
Splint bones - Vestigial metacarpal/metatarsal bones in horses.
Proximal sesamoid bones - Sesamoid bones in horse legs behind fetlock joints.
Distal sesamoid bones - Navicular bone in horse's hoof.
Cutaneous muscles - Thin muscles causing skin twitching.
Brachiocephalicus - First artery branching from aortic arch.
Latissimus Dorsi - Large muscle drawing limb caudally, flexing shoulder.
Tendon - Connective tissue attaching muscle to bone.
Aponeurosis - Thin sheet of fibrous connective tissue.
Fleshy attachment - Direct muscle attachment to bone periosteum.
Origin - Less movable muscle attachment, usually proximal.
Insertion - More movable muscle attachment, usually distal.
Action - Movement produced by muscle contraction.
Umbilicus - Scar on abdomen from umbilical cord.
Mammary papilla - Projections for milk exit from mammary glands.
Costal arch - Rib cage border formed by coastal cartilage.
Jugular groove - Neck groove containing jugular vein.
Semitendinosus - Muscle extending hip, flexing stifle, extending tarsus.
Pectineus muscle - Medial thigh muscle that adducts the limb.
Diaphragm - Muscle separating thoracic and abdominal cavities.
Sciatic nerve - Nerve running along femur's caudal aspect.