Scientific Illustration

depictedscience:

Frédéric Cuvier: De l’histoire naturelle des cétacés, Paris 1836.

smithsonianlibraries:

Today in 1769 Georges Cuvier, French naturalist, was born. Famous for his work in comparative anatomy and paleontology, Cuvier also established the concept of extinction as a fact.

The above is a a plate from The animal kingdom, arranged after its organization, forming a natural history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy. By the late Baron Georges Cuvier … . A later English translation of one of his seminal works, many of which you can check out on the Biodiversity Heritage Library, including this copy of Leçons d’anatomie Comparée which was owned by Charles Darwin.

Dorsal view of the anatomy of the tail of the eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

From: Anatomie comparée by Georges Cuvier

Dorsal view of the musculature of Pteropus edulis now called Pteropus vampyrus - Large Flying Fox

From: Anatomie comparée by Georges Cuvier

Anatomy of the tail of the eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

From: Anatomie comparée by Georges Cuvier

Ventral view of the musculature of Pteropus edulis now called Pteropus vampyrus - Large Flying Fox

From: Anatomie comparée by Georges Cuvier

Manatee and Dugong skeletons

From Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles de quadrupèdes : où l’on rétablit les caractères de plusieurs espèces d’animaux que les révolutions du globe paroissent avoir détruites Vol. 4 by Georges Cuvier, 1769-1832 

A drawing of an Aardwolf from “The class Mammalia” by Cuvier

biomedicalephemera:

Pieds d’Oiseaux - The Feet of Birds

You can clearly see the wide range of foot structures found in the Neornithes, and the intended usage of some of them is pretty obvious. When it comes to classifying the foot structure of birds, there are several characteristics that are noted, but the defining factor is the orientation of the digits (toes). Birds generally have four toes.

One term you might not know that’s important is the hallux - this is the innermost (“first”) digit of the foot, homologous to the big toe in humans. In birds, it often points backwards. It’s sometimes very well-developed (such as in perching birds), and sometimes so small it’s almost absent.

Anisodactyly (“unequal digit”) - This configuration is basically the standard. The three toes face forward, with the hallux facing backwards, so as to let the bird perch. This is present in songbirds and perching birds. Hawks, eagles, and falcons also have this configuration.

Syndactyly (“same digit”) - The third and fourth toes (outer and middle) are united for much of their length, and have a broad sole in common. You can see this in the kingfisher and the bee-eaters.

Zygodactyl (“yoke digit”) - The toes are arranged with digits 2 and 3 facing forwards, and digits 1 and 4 facing backwards. You can see this in parrots, woodpeckers, and roadrunners.

Heterodactyl (“different digit”) - Toes 1 and 2 are facing back, with 3 and 4 facing forward. This is only found in trogons.

Pamprodactyl (“Every digit”) - All four digits face forward, only found in swifts - this is a somewhat contested classification, as it’s believed that no birds use this as a primary configuration, even if swifts have been observed using it during their rare landings.

There are other useful terms when classifying birds by their foot structure, that have more to do with the type of bird itself, rather than the configuration of its bones. These classifications can include birds with more than one dactylous configuration.

Raptorial - Feet like the raptors and owls. These are strong, deeply cleft, with sturdy talons, meant for grasping and ripping.

Semipalmate - “Half-webbed” feet, where the anterior toes are only partially webbed. The Semipalmated Plover is a bird with these feet.

Totipalmate - “Fully webbed” feet, with all four toes united by one web - these are found on birds like cormorants.

Palmate - “Webbed” feet. These are your “basic” webbed feet - the three front toes are united, like in gulls and ducks. The fourth digit is not connected to the web.

Lobate - A swimming foot with a series of lobes along the toes. Found in birds like grebes.

Tableau Elementaire de l’Histoire Naturelle des Animaux par Georges Cuvier. 1798.

biomedicalephemera:

The Sand Piper, The Ruff, The European Curlew (Numenius arquata)

The Eurasian [European] Curlew is currently not an uncommon bird in Europe, and is known as simply “the curlew”, or, in Scots, the whaup.

The breeding population has decreased by almost 80% in recent years, and though the population is still large, it’s considered to be Near Threatened. The rate of decline has slowed notably in recent years, but hunting of the bird in its southern range of African and Asian coastal areas is still prevalent. 

This is now considered a protected bird in one of its year-round homes, Ireland. Unlike the other curlews, Eurasian curlews are willing to settle in climates that are relatively temperate year-round, and have a permanent population throughout the United Kingdom and the British Isles.

The Animal Kingdom Arranged According to its Organization, Vol I: Mammalia-Birds. Baron George Cuvier, 1834.