Page 61 - Mammal (DK Eyewitness)

CLAWS OF A KILLER Wrist bones
Sharp, retractable claws
identify the owner of this
skeleton as a member
of the cat family - a Domestic cat
domestic cat. The hind limb skeleton
claws aid
climbing and
of course
are used to Lower leg bone
slash at and
hold down
prey. Cats are Ankle bones
“digitigrade,”
meaning they walk
on their “finger-tips.”

Sole bones
Toe bones

BROAD-CLAWED DIGGER
Compared to the cat’s limb, the European
badger’s leg is more powerful and thickset.
The broad foot and wider claws are suited to
digging and scratching, rather than the cat’s
slash. Badgers walk on their heels, and are
known as plantigrade.

Lower leg
bones

Sole bones Ankle bones
Toe bones
Calcaneum
(heel)
European badger hind limb skeleton Elephant forefoot bones

THE GIANT’S FOOT
The enormous elephant needs enormous feet to
carry its weight. A thick and flexible foot pad
surrounds the toe bones and spreads the
weight evenly over a large area (p. 61).

Common seal A fatty pad in
hindlimb skeleton the foot spreads the
elephant’s weight

Lower leg bones Finger bones
Ankle bones
Sole bones

FLIPPER BONES
The seal’s hand and foot bones are
modified to form large, spreading
flippers. The back limbs do most of
the swimming. The front flippers
are used for steering. Despite its
un-hand-like appearance, the Gray seal using its flippers to swim
flipper still has the five “fingers”
typical of mammals. Toe bones

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