Muscles of the lateral and medial face of the thigh and the pelvis of the Coendou prehensilis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Rodentia, Erethizontidae)

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the muscles of the lateral and medial face of the thigh and the pelvis of Coendou prehensilis using four adult specimens that were sent to the Laboratory for Teaching and Research on Wild Animals. The animals had their thoracic aorta channeled and filled with colored solution of Neoprene Latex "450" ®. The jugular vein was also channeled and filled with formaldehyde solution 10%. Hind limbs were dissected to identify the muscles of the pelvic members, describing the morphology of the muscles of these specimens. In the cranial-lateral direction, the superficial lateral muscles are tensor fasciae latae, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, cranial and caudal portion of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and dorsally the thoracolumbar fascia and its continuation in gluteal superficial muscle. The superficial medial muscles are vastus medialis, sartorius and gracilis. In the craniocaudal direction, the deep lateral muscles of the pelvis and the thigh are gluteus medius, gluteus deep, gemellus, obturator internus and quadratus femoris, and the deep medial muscles are pectineus, adductor and semimembranosus.