GROSS ANATOMICAL STUDIES ON OS COXAE OF INDIAN EAGLE OWL (BUBO BENGALENSIS)

The present study was conducted on the os coaxe of adult Indian eagle owl. The os coxae of Indian eagle owl consisted of 3 bones namely ilium, ischium and pubis. All the three bones were fused and the space between the pelvic bones was occupied by lumbo-sacral mass. Ventrally, the bones did not unite with each other leaving pelvis open. Ilium was divided into pre-acetabular and post-acetabular parts. The dorsal surface of pre-acetabular part was concave whereas post-acetabular part was small and slightly convex. A very sharp and prominent crest was observed dorsally on either side of the lumbo-sacral mass. Anteriorly, the ventral surface of the ilium was flat and posteriorly, it presented renal fossa for the lodgment of the kidneys. The ischium was flat and somewhat triangular in outline. It formed a large sciatic foramen with ilium and a small obturator foramen with pubis. Pubis was a thin rib-like elongated bone situated along the ventral border of ischium and formed ischio-pubic incisures with the ventral border of ischium. There was no pectineal process at the anterior end of the pubis. The acetabulum was circular in outline and in the form of a foramen. A large triangular shaped anti-trochanter was observed in the caudo-dorsal aspect of acetabulum for articulation with trochanter major of the femur.