GROSS AND MORPHOMETRICAL STUDIES ON HUMERUS OF CATTLE EGRET (BUBULCUS IBIS)

The present study was conducted on the two humeri bones of cattle egret. The humerus of cattle egret was a long pneumatic bone. The proximal extremity was broad and flattened cranio-caudally and presented head and two tubercles. The head was large ovoid and transversely elongated. Dorsal and ventral tubercles were present. Ventral tubercle was larger than the dorsal one and was separated from the head by a distinct bicipital groove. The pneumatic foramen was located just below the ventral tubercle. The dorsal tubercle continued as a prominent lateral delto-pectoral crest, whereas the bicipital crest originated from the ventral tubercle. The shaft was cylindrical and slightly S-shaped. The distal extremity presented larger ulnar condyle laterally and a smaller radial condyle medially separated by inter-condylar groove. The ulnar epicondyle was larger than the radial one. The caudal surface of distal extremity presented olecranon fossa. The cranial aspect of distal extremity presented brachial fossa. The total length of the bone was 8.85 cm. The maximum width was observed at proximal extremity, which was 1.46 cm, followed by the distal extremity (1.23 cm) and the least value was recorded at the middle of the shaft (0.56 cm). The total length of the delto-pectoral crest was 1.46 cm which was about 16.5 % of the total length of the bone.