Animal directional terms

Animal anatomy: directional terms

ANATOMICAL PLANES

There are 3 anatomical planes of reference. Each plane is an imaginary “slice” through the body.

-Median or sagittal plane : A plane that runs down the center of the body lengthwise and divides it into equal left and right halves. It is also known as midsagittal plane.

-Transverse plane: A plane across the body that divides it into cranial (head-end) and caudal (tail-end), those are not necessarily equal.

-Dorsal or Horizontal plane: A plane at right angles to the sagittal and transverse planes. It divides the body into dorsal and ventral parts that are not necessarily equal

​vanat.cvm.umn.edu/anatDirections/index.html

​Directional terms

Certain directional terms are used in anatomy for description of the various organs or parts of the body with regard to their position, direction etc.

​Directional terms

Cranial and caudal refers to the ends of the animal as it stands on four legs. 

Cranial, cephalic or anterior means direction towards the head. 

Caudal or posterior means direction towards the tail.

Rostral is a special term used only to describe positions or directions on the head especially towards the tip of the nose.

​Directional terms

Dorsal and ventral refer to “up and down” directions with the animal in a standing position.

Dorsal or superior means towards the back (top surface) of a standing animal and ventral or inferior means towards the belly (bottom) of a standing animal.

​Directional terms

Medial and lateral refers to positions relative to the median plane.

 Medial means towards the median plane (toward the center line of the body) and lateral means away from the median plane.

​Directional terms

Deep and superficial refer to the position of the body parts relative to the center or surface of the body. 

Deep means towards the center of the body or body part. (Internal is sometimes used in place of deep). 

Superficial means towards the surface of the body. (External is sometimes used in place of superficial).

​Directional terms

Proximal and distal are used to describe positions only on extremities, such as leg, ear and tail, relative to the body.

 Proximal means towards the body and distal means away from the body.

​Directional terms

With respect to distal parts of limbs, the anterior and posterior faces are referred as dorsal and volar respectively in the case of the pectoral limb and dorsal and plantar in the pelvic limb.

The terms axial and abaxial are used to denote the structures lying towards or away from the central axis of the limb.

​vanat.cvm.umn.edu/anatDirections/index.html

Multiple Choice

The arrow is pointing which direction?

• cranial

• caudal

• ventral

• dorsal

Multiple Choice

The arrow is pointing to which side of the dog?

• cranial

• caudal

• ventral

• dorsal

Multiple Choice

The arrow is pointing which direction?

• medial

• lateral

Multiple Choice

What plane is the line showing

• median

• transverse

• dorsal

• sagittal

Multiple Choice

Directional terms for 1 (left to right)

• rostral - caudal

• anterior - posterior

• caudal - cranial

• distal - proximal

Multiple Choice

What body direction is the arrow pointing?

• caudal
• lateral
• posterior
• proximal

Multiple Choice

What body direction is the arrow pointing?

• anterior
• dorsal
• caudal
• proximal

Multiple Choice

What body direction is the arrow pointing?

• cephalic

• lateral

• medial

• posterior

Multiple Choice

What body direction is the arrow pointing?

• anterior
• distal
• lateral
• ventral

Multiple Choice

What body direction is the arrow pointing?

• anterior
• lateral
• medial
• posterior