Glossary

pectoral girdle

Bony or cartilaginous structure supporting the forelimbs or anterior fins in vertebrates.

Related terms

anterior
Located near or towards the head; forward in position.
baudelot's ligament
Ligament, sometimes ossified, which joins the 1st centrum with the supracleithrum. Helps anchor the pectoral girdles to the sides of the fish.
clavicle
Refers to the collar bone in human anatomy. Present in the pectoral girdle of some fishes as a paired, dermal bone ventral to or fused with the cleithrum.
cleithrum
Major bone of the pectoral girdle. Extends upward from the pectoral fin base and forms the rear margin of the branchial cavity. Articulates with the supracleithrum dorsally, the scapula and coracoid ventrally. Also known as proscapulum.
humeral process
Bony process extending posteriorly from the pectoral girdle, above the base of the pectoral fin. Present only in certain fishes.
humerus
The pectoral girdle in most fishes.
mesocoracoid
Paired bone situated in the pectoral girdle, below the cleithrum.
pectoral-fin
Anterior, paired fin attached to the pectoral girdle of fishes, usually just behind the opercle and corresponding to the forelimbs of higher vertebrates. Assists in controlling direction of movement and swimming speed. Frequently abbreviated to 'P' or 'P1' in scientific papers.
pelvic girdle
Bony or cartilaginous structure supporting the pelvic fins. Sometimes fused with the pectoral girdle.
vertebrate
An organism possessing a backbone or spinal column.