White-tail Deer Femur

Features:

• Longest bone in the human body

• Head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum of the os coxa

Human vs. Non-human Comparisons:

• Head is round in both human and non-humans

• Neck is equal to or broader than the head of the femur in white-tail deer femurs (green arrow, figure 1)

• Anterior articulated surface is more sculpted in appearance in non-humans (blue arrow, figure 2)

• Greater trochanter of white-tail deer is much more well-developed than in humans (white arrow, figure 3) and extends superior to the head

• The distal end of the femur, in humans, is more medial (closer to the body's centerline) than the proximal end and therefore presents itself on an angle compared to non-humans

  • Stand a femur with its distal end on a table and the human femur will stand on an angle compared to a non-human femur

5-Year Old Child Femur

Return to White-tail Deer Bone Atlas