Labs 7&8- Cat Muscles

Pp. 171 - 198

1) MUSCLES

  Try to skin the cat and keep most of the skin in one piece. You should wrap your specimen back in the skin before you put it away. You are responsible for the actions, origins and insertions of all muscles dissected.

 Be careful as you dissect. Make certain to use a sharp scalpel (and note that they dull quickly cutting through the tough skin of the shark). Make incisions lightly - don't stab the specimen; don't go too deep. Once an incision is made, use blunt dissection (with either the scalpel handle and/or using the "scissors technique"). As you dissect, watch what you are doing, note changes in color, layers, muscle fiber orientation etc. Muscle layers are separated from each other (and from the skin) by connective tissue. The connective tissue is white and "stringy". Muscles are striated and usually a yellowish color. If you are cutting several muscles where one is superficial to the other, do not cut them in the same place. If you haven't discovered it yet, your lab manual has a glossary. Use it.

 Your lab manual has dissecting instructions that you should follow. Here are a few more:

 Make one mid ventral incision from the lower jaw posterior to the pectoral girdle. Peel back the skin working on one side, then the other. Eventually you will be able to reach your hand all away around the body. You will see some small muscles (erector pilae) attached to the skin, don't worry about them. You may also notice mammary gland tissue. Make a circular cut around both wrists and ankles and a slit along each of the limbs. This should allow you to remove the skin around the limbs without any problem. If you have a male, carefully cut the skin around the scrotum. Make a circular cut around the tail. Do not cut the tail off; do not try to skin the tail.

 Skin the head and lower jaw. You'll need to expose the major muscles in this area.

Know the following structures: fascia, aponeurosis, mammary glands, linea alba, lumbodorsal fascia, axilla, inguinal region;

Shoulder Muscles: Acromiotrapezius, Spinotrapezius, Clacotrapezius, Clavobrachialis,

Levator scapulae ventralis, Latissiumus dorsi; Rhomboideus, Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres major, Subscapularis.

Muscles of the Back: Spinalis dorsi, Longissimus dorsi,

Thorasic Muscles: Pectoantebrachialis, Pectoralis major, Pectoralis minor, Xiphihmeralis; Seratus ventralis, Levator scapulae, Scaleneus, External intercostal, Internal intercostal.

Abdominal Muscles: External Oblique, Internal oblique, Transversus abdominus, rectus abdominis.

Muscles of the Neck and Head: Sternomastoid, Sternohyoid, digastric, mylohyoid, masseter, temporalis, sternothyroid, thyrohoid,geniohyoid, hyoglossus,

For a dorsal view, click here.

For a ventral view, click here.

Muscles of Upper Arm: Epitrochelaris, Biceps brachii, triceps brachii, brachialis,

For a dorsal view, click here.

For a ventral view,click here.

Muscles of Thigh: Satrorius, gracilis, semimembranous, adductor femoris, adductor longus, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, tensor fascia lata, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, caudofemoralis, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, vastus lateralis,

Muscle of leg: Gastrocnemius, Achilles (calcaneal) tendon; Soleus,

For a dorsal view, click here.

For a ventral view,click here.